Federal Council wants a modern Telecommunications Act
Bern, 28.03.2012 - The Federal Council wants to progress work on a partial revision of the Telecommunications Act in the current legislative session in order to resolve important issues about the future development of electronic communications. In its new report on the evaluation of the telecommunications market for the attention of Parliament, the Federal Council notes that the current Telecommunications Act has had a positive effect on the telecommunications sector but is coming up against boundaries from a technological perspective.
The current Telecommunications Act (TCA) is being overtaken by rapid technological developments in the telecommunications industry. For example, the current Act is based on the copper network, which will increasingly be replaced by new fibre and cable networks and mobile radio systems. This means that there is a risk that the current Act may not have its full impact, as noted by the Federal Council in its supplementary report on the evaluation of the telecommunications market. It therefore intends to take in hand the drafting of a consultation paper on the partial revision of the TCA during the current legislature. In the process, rules will be drawn up which will be available in good time if problems occur and which will allow a more flexible approach than at present.
The provision of technology-neutral, open and fair access to networks, the universal service, protection of users, and a functioning internet are at the centre of telecommunications policy. In all these areas it is important to create legal certainty for the future.
Federal Council report on the evaluation of the telecommunications market
On 17 September 2010, the Federal Council published an evaluation report on the telecommunications market which it had produced on behalf of Parliament. At that time it indicated possible adaptations of the existing law, in order to respond to the shortcomings which had been identified. However, in the overall assessment, it refrained from proposing a revision of the Act to Parliament. At the same time it indicated that it would closely monitor developments and continue to examine any possible need for action.
At Parliament's request, the Federal Council has now produced a supplementary report on the evaluation of the telecommunication market. In it, the Federal Council comes to the conclusion that the challenges of the future are now emerging more clearly.
Address for enquiries
Dr. Martin Dumermuth, Director, Federal Office of Communications OFCOM, tel.032 327 55 50 (Media Office)
Publisher
The Federal Council
https://www.admin.ch/gov/en/start.html
General Secretariat of the Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications; General Secretariat DETEC
https://www.uvek.admin.ch/uvek/en/home.html
Federal Office of Communications
http://www.ofcom.admin.ch
