Swiss confirm free choice of set-tops

Swiss confirm free choice of set-tops

By Julian Clover
Published: September 17, 2010 10.57 Europe/London

The Federal Council of Switzerland has confirmed plans to allow subscribers of digital television services a free reign in their choice of set-top box. It is now proposing that that Parliament revises the Radio and Television Act.

The move follows a consultation by the Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC/UVEK) into the opening of a horizontal market for digital television receivers, criticised as unnecessary by operators including the Liberty Global-owned Cablecom, already in the process of offering CI Plus modules to its subscribers.

It is unlikely that the ruling will become law before 2012.