Good to know!
In Upper Valais, several mountain municipalities are already connected to the ultra-fast fibre-optic network. The high bandwidth provides access to the latest interactive services for TV, Internet and telephony.
Energy & communication
Electricity supply
The electricity market in Switzerland has not yet been fully liberalised, and your choice of supplier depends on your place of residence. It is therefore possible that your landlord has already registered with a particular supplier. Electricity consumption is generally not included in ancillary costs and is paid directly to the electricity provider. Many electricity suppliers offer a range of electricity products. So you can choose which power source your power comes from. The prices for a kWh are adjusted accordingly.
Radio and television fees
Anyone with a primary or secondary residence in Switzerland is obliged to pay the annual fee for radio and television reception, even if they only own a smartphone, computer, tablet or car radio. Private households in Switzerland are required to pay an annual flat-rate fee for radio and television reception, regardless of how many appliances are used in the household. Once you have registered at the residents’ registration office, your registration data is transferred directly from the municipality to Serafe AG, which is responsible for fee collection. This means you do not have to register separately with Serafe AG. Under certain circumstances, people may be exempted from their obligation to pay the fee, e.g. people who receive supplementary benefits or people with no means of receiving radio or television. In such cases, a request for exemption must be submitted to Serafe AG.
Serafe AG / www.serafe.ch
TV and Internet
To set up a TV and/or Internet connection, you can contact a telecommunications or electricity provider. There are a range of options, depending on your flat and the area you live in. It is worth comparing offers, because Internet and/or TV services and prices vary.
Online comparison service / www.comparis.ch
Telephony
Due to legal requirements, you will need a passport or ID card as well as a valid residence permit (B, C, G or L permit) to take out a mobile or landline subscription in Switzerland. The best way to find out about the various offers is to visit one of the many shops.
Online comparison service / www.comparis.ch