Work is progressing on implementing "our" laws which were both recently revised, the Radio and Television Act (RTVA) and the Telecommunications Act (TCA). In the reporting year this framework saw new essential decisions which will have a lasting influence on the development of the corresponding markets.

Licensing of private radio and television stations with a performance mandate resulted in profound changes in some regions. Though some appeals are still pending, the legally licensed broadcasters now have security for the next ten years, at least in terms of legal status, as the imponderables of economic and technological developments give players enough to ponder.

The modalities for unbundling the last mile were legally defined last autumn. Though the relevant legal foundations were created relatively late in Switzerland, there is now exponential growth in the number of unbundled connections. Implementation of the corresponding regulations following creation of the legal foundations has progressed faster in Switzerland than practically any other European country.

Since the revision projects, there has been continued action regarding political discussions in relation to shaping the telecommunications market and the radio and television sector. In both the telecommunications and the radio and television sectors there are calls for legal revision on the political agenda, which we will deal with in the not too distant future.

Martin Dumermuth, Director General