Speed race in the Swiss fixed network continues
The speed race in the fixed-line market between Swisscom and the cable network operators continues. The cable network operator Quickline is the first provider in Switzerland to upgrade its network with the latest cable network technology, DOCSIS 3.1.
This will enable surfing speeds of 1 gigabit per second (Gbit/s) or more, Quickline announced in a press release on Tuesday. Until now, customers have received a peak speed of up to 200 megabits per second (Mbit/s). The networks of the 21 combined local cable network companies are to be equipped accordingly in the second half of 2015, as Quickline spokeswoman Jacqueline Blaser announced on request: "We will only communicate a precise roadmap and prices when the time comes." 400,000 households are connected to the Quickline network. By comparison, the number one cable network operator, UPC Cablecom, currently offers a maximum speed of 250 Mbit/s nationwide. In the Bern region it is up to 500 Mbit/s. Cablecom is testing Docsis 3.1 internally, said spokesman Marc Maurer. The new technology should be introduced within the next two years. At Swisscom, the top speed is 1 Gbit/s. However, this is only available on the fiber optic network. The maximum speed on the copper network is currently 100 Mbit/s. However, Swisscom is currently testing the new G.fast technology (i.e. dji-dot-fast), which enables maximum speeds of up to 500 Mbit/s on the copper line. The first customers are to be connected this year. (SDA)
