Salt and Sunrise are exploring a significant expansion of their mobile network infrastructure cooperation in Switzerland, targeting better coverage, reception and network reliability in rural and less densely populated regions where around 70 percent of their mobile-network sites are located.
The two Swiss telecom operators have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to assess closer infrastructure cooperation, potentially extending their existing network-sharing arrangement through Radio Access Network (RAN) sharing using a multi-operator core network, or MOCN, model.
Salt and Sunrise Target Rural Mobile Coverage
The network-sharing proposal is significant because more than half of Switzerland’s population lives outside urban centres. Building and operating mobile infrastructure in these locations is more challenging economically because individual mobile sites typically serve fewer customers.
Salt and Sunrise said approximately 70 percent of all their mobile-network sites are located in medium-density and rural areas, creating considerable scope for infrastructure sharing.
Under the proposed model, customers could gain access to more mobile sites, potentially improving indoor and outdoor reception, geographical coverage and overall mobile-network quality.
Both Salt and Sunrise have previously received the highest “outstanding” rating in the connect mobile-network test. The companies now aim to extend high-quality mobile connectivity further beyond densely populated Swiss cities.
MOCN Could Expand Access to Mobile Sites
The proposed cooperation would focus on closer collaboration within the RAN using a multi-operator core network sharing, or MOCN, architecture.
Under MOCN, selected antenna sites can connect to the core networks of both operators. This would allow customers to use parts of the other operator’s mobile infrastructure while Salt and Sunrise continue operating their own core networks.
The approach could reduce unnecessary duplication of network infrastructure in areas where deploying separate networks is less economically efficient.
Salt and Sunrise already cooperate at selected mobile sites. The new MoU establishes a framework for assessing whether that arrangement can be expanded substantially across rural and less densely populated regions.
Network Sharing Could Improve Investment Efficiency
The planned cooperation is also designed to improve the economics of Swiss mobile-network expansion.
Building separate infrastructure in locations with relatively few mobile users can result in higher costs per customer. Coordinating infrastructure could allow Salt and Sunrise to make more targeted investments and achieve greater financial efficiency than developing networks independently.
Sunrise CEO Andre Krause said giving customers access to more mobile sites could deliver wider network coverage and improved network quality, helping rural users receive network performance comparable with that available in cities.
Salt CEO Max Nunziata said coordinating network expansion with Sunrise could produce tangible improvements in service quality while preparing infrastructure for rising mobile-data demand.
Salt and Sunrise to Conduct Technical and Regulatory Study
The companies will begin a planning and technical study covering the technical, operational, economic, legal and regulatory requirements of expanded network cooperation.
The study will determine the scope of MOCN-based sharing and establish how the arrangement could be implemented. Switzerland’s Federal Communications Commission, ComCom, has been informed about the initiative.
Any definitive agreement and implementation will depend on the outcome of this study and remain subject to the necessary regulatory approvals.
Salt and Sunrise Will Remain Independent Competitors
Despite potentially sharing more mobile infrastructure, Salt and Sunrise will continue operating as independent telecom competitors.
The proposed cooperation is restricted to mobile-network infrastructure. Both operators will retain their own core networks and licences, as well as control over spectrum usage and network strategy.
Salt and Sunrise will also independently determine their prices, products, offers, brands, marketing, sales, retail strategies, market positioning and customer relationships.
Salt and Sunrise together serve more than 5 million mobile connections in Switzerland.
Salt ended 2025 with 1.856 million mobile postpaid subscribers, after adding 110,000 mobile customers across its consumer and business operations during the year. Its fixed broadband base increased by more than 48,000 to over 313,000 customers.
Salt invested CHF 239.2 million in cash Capex in 2025, up from CHF 222.9 million in 2024, reflecting spending on telecom infrastructure. Its operating revenue increased 5.2 percent to CHF 1.0242 billion, while EBITDAaL advanced 8.8 percent to CHF 514.1 million.
Salt’s next financial update is scheduled for August 27, 2026. The operator says its mobile network reaches 99.9 percent of Switzerland’s population.
Sunrise had approximately 3.18 million mobile customers at the end of June 2026, alongside 1.29 million broadband and 0.96 million TV customers. Its mobile base comprised around 2.340 million residential mobile RGUs and 837,079 business mobile RGUs, or approximately 3.177 million active SIMs. Residential postpaid customers reached 2.118 million, while business postpaid customers increased to 801,344.
Sunrise’s Q2 2026 Capex was CHF 102 million, equivalent to 14.3 percent of revenue and down 12.7 percent year on year, mainly because of lower spending on network capacity. In full-year 2025, Sunrise invested CHF 478.7 million, down 6.1 percent from 2024 and equivalent to 16.0 percent of revenue.
The figures help explain the rationale behind the proposed Salt-Sunrise infrastructure partnership. Salt spent CHF 239.2 million on Capex in 2025 while Sunrise invested CHF 478.7 million, giving the two operators combined annual investment of roughly CHF 718 million.
BABURAJAN KIZHAKEDATH
