After acquiring 5G frequencies in the recent spectrum auction, the Swiss operator Sunrise is the first provider to launch 5G. With "5G for People", Sunrise is focusing on an initial phase of "fibre speed through the air" in areas that are not covered by fibre-optic networks. By the end of March, 150 cities and villages will have 5G coverage.
From mid-March, around 100 selected 5G pioneers (residential and business customers) will be able to use "5G for People" – high-bandwidth internet with up to 1 Gbps via mobile communications – with the Sunrise Internet Box 5G.
More 5G services for private and business customers will be launched during the year via existing fixed network and mobile offers, including 5G at home, 5G on the go, 5G for business and 5G devices.
Along with South Korea, Japan, the US and China, Switzerland is one of the first countries in the world to launch 5G. With 5G, Sunrise wants to close the digital divide between urban and rural areas, which is particularly important for business customers and SMEs based outside city centres.
Among the 150 locations to be covered by the end of March, there are cities with large populations like Dietikon (27,000), Bulach (20,725) and Opfikon (19,864) and smaller suburban and rural communities/villages like Autafond – part of the municipality of Belfaux, FR since 2015 (74 inhabitants), Auboranges (287), Ecublens, FR (346) and Boningen (759). All 150 cities/villages will have 5G population coverage between 80 percent (e.g. Niederlenz) and 98 percent (e.g. Bachenbulach).
5G coverage information is available on the Sunrise website. Anyone who would like to know when 5G will also be available in their area can register and be kept up to date on the operator's network roll-out. New customers who order Sunrise Home Internet products in the future will automatically receive a coverage check. If there is no fibre-optic connection at the customer’s home or place of business but a 5G connection s available, the customer will automatically be offered a 5G proposition. All customers will be offered the proposition that gives them the fastest internet connection.
Only about 30 percent of households and SMEs in Switzerland can currently benefit from a fibre-optic connection. Seventy percent of those in suburban and rural areas have to deal with hybrid solutions (a mix of fibre-optic and copper network) or slower DSL connections.
5G coverage and the Sunrise Internet Box 5G are required for high-bandwidth internet without a fibre-optic connection. Starting in mid-March, around 100 selected Sunrise residential and business customers will benefit exclusively and free of charge from this introductory offer. Later this year, it will also be possible to connect the Sunrise TV Box UHD to the Sunrise Internet Box 5G and obtain all Sunrise Home Internet services, including telephony via 5G. The box supports the latest Wi-Fi standard (WiFi 6) with connections of up to 11 Gbps as well as numerous phone call features (call forwarding, call waiting, do not disturb, etc.).
Sunrise will launch additional "5G for People" offers later this year.
