SWITZERLAND

• The Federal Office of Communication (Ofcom) updated their WLAN pages on 17 March 2006. Click here for the English, French, German or Italian versions. "Factsheet: Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN) & Radio Local Area Networks (RLAN)" says that WLANs and RLANs are exempt from frequency licenses in the 2400 - 2483.5 MHz (max. EIRP 100 mW), 5150 - 5350 MHz (max. EIRP 200mW - indoors only) and 5470 - 5725 MHz ranges (max EIRP 1000 mW). Directive antennas are allowed, but transmitter power must be reduced to maintain the EIRP limit. However, the FAQ says a service license may be required for telecom providers serving "third parties" on a subscription or contract basis. (If service is indoors and limited to a single space, a license may not be needed even if the space is "semi-public.") "Jointly operated" community nets serving a "small group" also do not need a license. In any case, Ofcom decides who needs a service license when a registration form is submitted.
• National Frequency Plans.
• "Verordnung vom 6. Oktober 1997 über Frequenzmanagement und Funkkonzessionen (FKV)" (Decree on frequency management and radio licences, 6 October 1997 in German): Article 8a exempts frequencies for "collective use" from licensing.
• Swiss Wireless - resources for community network development in French and English.
• OpenWireless.ch.
• "((o)) - Un signe pour faciliter l'accès aux réseaux WiFi gratuits" [((o)) - a sign to facilitate access to free Wi-Fi networks], press release in French from the Swiss branch of the Usability Professionals Association, 7 November 2007. They propose that wireless access points which are open to all should add the combination ((o)) to their SSID.
• "Exploring the WISP industry: Swiss case study" by Giovanni Camponovo, Mark Heitmann, Katarina Stanoevska-Slabeva and Yves Pigneur, Bled Electronic Commerce Conference, 9-11 June 2003 (14 pages in English).
• "Erstes Schweizer WLAN-Stadtnetz in Luzern," (First Swiss city-WLAN in Lucerne) Computerworld Online, 13 September 2006 in German: Lucerne will be the first Swiss city with comprehensive WiFi coverage, courtesy of the water/gas utility, but access will not be free.
• "Zürcher Gratis-WLAN kommt," by Adrian Schulthess, 20 Minuten, 13 September 2006, in German: Zurich is likely to have city-wide WiFi coverage by 2007. With access points mounted on streetlamps, and backhaul provided by the city's existing fibre-optic network, use of the net will be free during the one-year test period, which has already started, though signal coverage is still limited.
• "SBB-Waggons bald mit WLAN-Verbindung," (Swiss Rail wagons with WLAN connections soon) Computer World Online, 9 May 2007 in German. Translated excerpt: Together with Telekomanbieterin Swisscom, SBB wants to offer their first-class passengers a constant WLAN connection by the end of 2007. The SBB rail cars were actually supposed to be WLAN equipped in September 2005 but the technology at the time was inadequate.