Internet
Switzerland has state-of-the-art internet infrastructure which, combined with other factors, makes it an attractive base for IT companies and for the operation of server centres. More and more Swiss people are using and spending an increasing amount of time on the internet.
Switzerland has a high-performance infrastructure which provides internet access to 99% of households through various technologies (DSL, fibre-optic, cable TV lines and mobile telephony) with a bandwidth of over 100 Mbit/s (download). With just under 50 fixed broadband subscribers per 100 inhabitants, Switzerland topped the OECD rankings in 2022. Switzerland's fibre optic share of total broadband connections is constantly expanding and was just 10% below the OECD average in 2022.
Highly developed infrastructure, leading research institutions, such as ETH Zurich, and a favourable business tax regime make Switzerland a sought-after location for IT companies such as Google. Geneva hosts some two dozen international organisations, such as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), concerned with internet policy and governance.
Data centres in decommissioned army bunkers
Its political stability, internet infrastructure and reliable power supply make Switzerland an attractive location for the operation of server centres. Switzerland is home to 93 server centres and rising, which currently occupy an area roughly the size of 22 football pitches. Some of these centres, hidden deep underground in bunkers built during the Second World War, are ideal for the storage of sensitive data.
Swiss internet habits
Virtually the entire population in Switzerland now uses the internet at least once a week. While younger people have been surfing on a daily basis for years, three quarters of people aged 65 to 74 and over half of those aged 75 and above now routinely use the internet. A large proportion of users spend 5–25 hours a week on the internet, primarily for communication, but also to search for information, compare prices and buy products or services. Children access the internet mainly for streaming, online searches and gaming and in most cases use a smartphone to go online.