Mobile network to function even during power outage
The mobile communications licensees are to take precautions to ensure that the mobile communications network can continue to be used even in the event of disruptions to the power supply. The Federal Council has sent a corresponding revision for consultation.
The mobile network must remain operational even in the event of a power failure or power shortage in order to provide emergency services, public telephone service and access to the Internet. For this reason, the Federal Council sent a revision of the Ordinance on Telecommunications Services (FDV) out for consultation on November 1. Interested parties can comment on this until February 16, 2024.
The Federal Council proposes that the new requirements laid down in the FDV should not apply to video services via the Internet, as they can overload the network, according to the statement. One exception would be videos of public interest.
Emergency power supply at central locations
If the Federal Council has its way, the three mobile communications licensees operating in Switzerland will therefore have to install an emergency power supply at central locations as well as at the transmitter stations. With the help of these measures, they must guarantee mobile communications in the event of power failures lasting up to 72 hours or power failure cycles lasting 14 consecutive days, according to the media release. Each licensee must also ensure that 99 percent of its customers in each municipality can use its mobile network in the event of power outages.
Ensuring the emergency services
Based on the Federal Council's proposal, the mobile network licensees have five years to implement the measures to ensure emergency call services and three additional years to ensure access to the public telephone service and the Internet. Six months after the revised FDV enters into force, they must submit an implementation plan and then annual interim progress reports. If there is reasonable suspicion that the new provisions are not being complied with, mobile phone licensees can be required to undergo an audit at their own expense, the Federal Council writes.
Costs to be borne by the concessionaires
According to the information provided, the mobile network licensees are free to choose the measures to achieve the objectives defined in the FDV. They must bear the costs of hardening their mobile network themselves. According to a regulatory impact assessment, the annual costs for the three companies amount to around 150 million Swiss francs, as it concludes.
More on the FDV consultation here.
