Cellnex Switzerland and Swiss Fibre Net sign a cooperation agreement

• Cellnex Switzerland and Swiss Fibre Net (SFN) have signed a cooperation agreement for mobile communications system connections via fiber optics (mobile backhauling) and small cells.
• The agreement assures Cellnex Switzerland access to high-quality fiber optics services and provides for cooperation in the acquisition, planning, construction, and operation of small cells, which are low-powered transmission units that generally operate over a short range.
• The cells can be used to provide wireless services in buildings and outdoor areas. Mobile network operators use small cells to expand service coverage and increase network capacity

Zurich/Bern, March 19, 2019 Cellnex Switzerland, the first independent operator of wireless infrastructure in Switzerland, has signed a cooperation agreement with Swiss Fibre Net to foster the establishment of a next-generation mobile network for Switzerland.

“The agreement with Swiss Fibre Net marks a further step in our strategy for establishing innovative multi-operator infrastructure solutions,” says Peter Seiler, Country Manager at Cellnex Switzerland. “This agreement will enable us to implement key elements of the 5G ecosystem and thus offer our customers the best possible connectivity at high speeds and with unprecedented data volumes.”

“Cellnex is a well known and internationally well established telecommunications infrastructure operator with proven expertise in the areas of mobile communications sites, small cells, smart cities, and IoT,” says Andreas Waber, CEO of SFN. “The combination of all of these attributes with the fiber optics competence of SFN and its 18 network partners will create a strong and forward-looking partnership for the development of a 5G wireless infrastructure in Switzerland.”

Future mobile communications infrastructure for Switzerland

SFN and Cellnex Switzerland are already pioneers in the development of innovative solutions for mobile communications providers in Switzerland. With its large-scale fiber optics network, Swiss Fibre Net is not only able to provide households and businesses with ultra-fast FTTH lines; for many years already it has also been a key partner for connecting cell towers with fast fiber optic lines.

Cellnex Switzerland is the first independent operator of wireless infrastructure in Switzerland. The company is currently responsible for 2,460 mobile sites throughout the country. Cellnex Switzerland offers its services to all telecom providers in a transparent and non-discriminatory manner, allowing all telecommunications companies access to its infrastructure. Cellnex Switzerland’s unique infrastructure services will enable telecom operators to optimize their investment capacity in the coming years while also keeping their operating costs under control. This of course also ensures ideal conditions for the rapid introduction and consolidation of existing and new technologies and standards, such as 5G, IoT, DAS (Distributed Antenna System), and smart cities.

The allocation of new mobile network frequencies was successfully completed at the beginning of February 2019. All three current mobile providers were able to acquire new frequencies in the auction, particularly in the 3.5-3.8 GHz band. The new frequencies are needed to facilitate development of fast 5G mobile communications technology. Consolidation and access to new antenna sites is also necessary to meet constantly growing customer demand. With their new cooperation agreement, Cellnex Switzerland and SFN are now ideally positioned to exploit the market opportunities arising from future network consolidation.

About Cellnex Switzerland

Cellnex Switerland AG / Swiss Towers AG is a Cellnex Telecom Company, the Europe’s leading operator of wireless telecommunications and broadcasting infrastructures. Cellnex Switzerland is the first independent infrastructure and mobile service provider in Switzerland. The current portfolio comprises 2,470 locations throughout Switzerland.

Cellnex Switzerland’s business is mainly structured in two major areas: telecommunication infrastructures services and solutions for smart urban infrastructure and services management (smart cities and the “Internet of Things” (IoT)).

The parent company is listed on the continuous market of the Spanish stock exchange and is part of the selective IBEX 35 and EuroStoxx 600 indices. It is also part of the FTSE4GOOD and CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project) and “Stand-ard Ethics” sustainability indexes.

Cellnex’s reference shareholders include ConnecT with a 29.9% stake in the share capital, as well as Threadneedle Asset Management, CriteriaCaixa and Blackrock, which hold minority interests.

About Swiss Fibre Net

Swiss Fibre Net is a joint venture of local utility companies in Switzerland. The company consolidates the local fiber optics infrastructure of its network partners into the large-scale homogeneous and open Swiss Fibre Net. This enables it to offer needs-based high-quality transmission services for Swiss service providers and mobile communications companies. Swiss Fibre Net is thus one of the leading broadband providers in Switzerland, as well as a company that ensures competition in the telecommunications market. Swiss Fibre Net also acts as a service organization for its network partners, with the aim of achieving synergies in operations and sales activities.

SFN’s current joint venture partners are the utility companies of Bern (EWB), Lucerne (EWL), St. Gallen (Stadtwerk St. Gallen), Oberwallis (Danet) and Meilen (Energie und Wasser Meilen – EWM). SNF also has network partnership agreements with the following companies: die werke versorgung wallisellen, ftth fr (Fribourg Canton), Stadtwerk Winterthur, Stadtwerke Gossau, St. Gallisch-Appenzellische Kraftwerke, Bellinzona (AMB), Technische Betriebe Weinfelden, Yverdon-les-Bains (SEY), GA Weissenstein, SEIC and Swiss4net Holding, as well as the Municipality of Lindau.