Swisscom AG history, company profile (overview) and corporate video
Swisscom AG is engaged in the provision of telecommunication services. It operates through the following segments: Swisscom Switzerland, Fastweb, Other Operations, and Group Headquarters. The Swisscom Switzerland segment, which is a contract partner for telecoms and data services in Switzerland is subdivided into the residential, customers, small and medium enterprises, corporate business, wholesale, and network and information technology (IT) operations. The Fastweb segment provides products for voice, data, internet and television, as well as a full complement of virtual private network and mobile communication services in Italy. The Other Operating segment comprises of Swisscom IT Services, Swisscom Participations, and Swisscom Hospitality Services. The Group Headquarters segment includes unallocated costs comprises mainly of the Group central divisions of Swisscom, Swisscom Re Ltd, and the employment company Worklink AG. The company was founded on January 1, 1998 and is headquartered in Worblaufen, Switzerland.“
“Swisscom History
Our company’s roots date back to 1852. One thing has never changed: like Swisscom today, its predecessors were always at the forefront of technological advances, setting new standards and trends.
1852 – 1911
The age of the pioneers
The launch of the first telegraph service between St. Gallen and Zurich in 1852 marked the birth of telecommunications in Switzerland. The invention of the telephone by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876 gave new impetus to the field. By 1896, the telephone had been introduced in all Swiss cantons.
1912 – 1965
Telephony takes off
In 1917, the first semi-automatic telephone switchboard went into operation in Zurich-Hottingen. By 1948, Switzerland had 500,000 telephone subscribers. There were 1 million subscribers by 1959, the year in which the Swiss telephone network became the first fully automated network in the world.
1966 – 1981
Space-age communications
Telstar – the first telecommunications satellite – was launched into space in 1962. At Expo 1964 in Lausanne, the first exchange to permit international direct dialing was unveiled. In 1974, the Leuk satellite earth station went into operation in the canton of Wallis.
1982 – 1992
Telephony goes mobile
In 1975, PTT-Betriebe (Switzerland’s postal and telecommunications services) decided to introduce a mobile telephone network for vehicles (NATEL = Nationales Autotelefonnetz or national car phone network). Three years later, the first NATEL A network was launched, followed by NATEL B in 1983 and NATEL C in 1987. In 1985, the first fibre-optic cable was laid between Berne and Neuchâtel.
1993 – 1997
The digital revolution
In 1988, Telecom PTT introduced Switzerland’s first digital telecommunications network (ISDN). The mobile phone network was digitised in 1992 under the name NATEL D. Telecom PTT’s “Blue Window” Internet portal, launched in 1996, soon became the market leader. On 1 October 1997, Telecom PTT became Swisscom.
1998 –
Swisscom on the free market
On 5 October 1998, Swisscom Ltd was floated on the stock exchange. In 2007, Swisscom entered the TV industry and, by the end of 2012, it led the digital TV market with 791,000 subscribers. From 2009, Swisscom pushed ahead with the expansion of the fibre-optic network in Switzerland.”
*Information from Forbes.com and Swisscom.com
**Video published on YouTube by “Swisscom“
