Reception
Television in Switzerland: cable, internet, satellite or only apps?
Aerial switched off, cable in transition, streaming everywhere: how people watch television in Switzerland today – and which option suits which household.
Hardly any country has changed television reception as quickly as Switzerland. The aerial has been history since 2019, the cable network is changing, and a large share of households watch over the internet. An overview of the routes that still exist in 2026.
Television over the internet: the normal case
Swisscom blue TV, Sunrise TV, Salt TV, Quickline and the providers Zattoo and Teleboy deliver the programme over the internet line. The big advantage is Replay: programmes from the past seven days can be caught up at any time, plus recordings in the cloud and apps for phone and tablet. Anyone who wants to skip advertising pays extra with many providers or waits – that is a Swiss peculiarity stemming from an agreement with the broadcasters.
Reception needs a box or an app on the television. The providers' apps run on most current sets and on Apple TV; a box is only needed if the television is older or functions such as recording to a hard disk are wanted.
Cable: solid, but changing
The classic cable network delivers television as DVB-C straight into the set's tuner – no box, no internet, with very short channel-change times. It is the simplest solution for second sets and older residents. But the network operators are gradually converting their offering to internet television; anyone setting up today should regard the cable connection as a transition.
Satellite: for the country house and holiday flat
Satellite offers hundreds of channels without a monthly fee. The Swiss channels are encrypted and need an access card; Replay and recordings only work with a suitable receiver. Satellite pays off where internet and cable are weak.
Streaming: Play Suisse, Netflix and co.
SRG offers series, films and documentaries free of charge with Play Suisse. Add Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video and sports offerings such as blue Sport or DAZN. Streaming replaces the linear programme for many households; for news, sport and live broadcasts a television provider remains sensible.
HbbTV: the red button
Through HbbTV the broadcasters deliver media libraries and additional information straight into the programme. The television needs an internet connection for that; the function can be activated on most sets.
What we recommend
- Family with internet connection: internet television from your own provider plus streaming apps directly in the television.
- Second set in kitchen or guest room: the provider's app, no additional box.
- Older residents: a simple box with a clear remote control or the cable connection, as long as it exists.
- Holiday flat without fast internet: satellite.
And in every case a network cable to the television: 4K streaming over WiFi works, but not always at prime time. We set up provider, apps and remote control so that in the end there is one way of operating it, not three.
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