Federal Office of Communications OFCOM

What Federal Office of Communications OFCOM does

The Federal Office of Communications OFCOM is the Swiss federal government's competence center for media and telecommunications, operating under the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC). Established in 1992 and headquartered in Biel/Bienne at Zukunftstrasse 44, OFCOM is the exclusive Swiss regulator for telecommunications, broadcasting, and postal services. Its remit covers spectrum management, broadcasting licensing, equipment conformity assessment, electromagnetic compatibility oversight, and universal postal service supervision. The agency is funded by statutory radio and television fees of approximately CHF 1.37 billion per year, with households paying CHF 335 p.a., collective households CHF 670 p.a., and VAT-liable businesses above CHF 500,000 turnover paying on a turnover-based scale. Collection for households is handled by SERAFE AG, while business fees flow through the Federal Tax Administration, with proceeds funding SRG SSR (the public broadcaster) and 45 licensed commercial broadcasters (32 local/regional radio and 13 regional TV).

OFCOM's operational backbone includes the National Frequency Allocation Plan (NFAP) and Technical Interface Regulations (RIR), the EMC/EMC-E Technical Centre for electromagnetic compatibility measurement, the ofcomnet.ch API exposing RIR data programmatically, and the DETEC eGovernment portal for licensing submissions, type-approvals, and billing. It regulates 46 licensed broadcasters (1 SRG SSR, 32 radio, 13 TV) and oversees market surveillance for non-compliant radio and electrical equipment (including a hard prohibition on jammers since January 2018, with fines up to CHF 100,000). On the postal side, OFCOM supervises Swiss Post's universal service - in 2025, Swiss Post delivered payment service access to 96.1% of the Swiss population, exceeding the 90% statutory threshold - and, following the December 2025 partial revision of the Postal Services Ordinance, now also oversees digital letters as part of the universal service. Internationally, OFCOM represents Switzerland across 20+ institutions including ITU, CEPT, ETSI, OECD, UPU, CERP, FRATEL, and TV5Monde, and conducts bilateral consultations with all five neighboring countries. Going forward, OFCOM is preparing a 2026 public tender and 2027 auction for mobile telephony spectrum in the 800, 900, 1800, 2100, and 2600 MHz bands covering roughly half of currently allocated mobile frequencies.

Name

Federal Office of Communications OFCOM

Legal name

Federal Office of Communications OFCOM

Website

https://bakom.admin.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Federal Office of Communications OFCOM is Switzerland's federal regulator for media, telecommunications, and postal services. It manages spectrum allocation, broadcasting licensing, equipment conformity assessment, and Swiss Post universal service compliance, funded by CHF 1.37 billion in annual radio and television fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Telecommunications and Media Regulation

NAICS

Regulation and Administration of Communications, Electric, Gas, and Other Utilities (92613)

SIC

Communications Services, Nec (4899)

akta.pro primary industry

Communications, Media & Spectrum Regulators (BPAIAOAI)

Keywords

• Telecommunications regulation
• Frequency spectrum management
• Broadcasting licensing
• Postal services oversight
• Electromagnetic compatibility testing

Headquarters

HQ city

Bern

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

OFCOM is the Swiss federal government's competence center for media and telecommunications, providing regulatory oversight across telecommunications, broadcasting, and postal services. It manages radio frequency spectrum allocation, licenses radio and television broadcasters, oversees universal postal service obligations, conducts market surveillance for telecom equipment, and administers the radio and television fee system that funds public service media.

Product overview

The Federal Office of Communications OFCOM is a Swiss federal government agency serving as the competence center for media and telecommunications. Rather than offering commercial products, OFCOM provides a comprehensive portfolio of regulatory services including: frequency spectrum management and allocation (with public APIs for Radio Interface Regulations), media landscape monitoring through the biennial Media Structure Report, 5G mobile communications oversight, radio equipment conformity assessment and market surveillance, broadcasting infrastructure guidance (DAB/DAB+/DVB-T), and postal services regulation. These services are delivered through digital platforms including the DETEC eGovernment portal with electronic submission capabilities, LINDAS open government data infrastructure, and the ofcomnet.ch API for programmatic RIR data access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Frequency Management Services
• Radio Equipment Market Access
• Radio and Television Broadcasting Licensing
• Postal Services Regulation
• Radio and Television Fee Collection
• Electromagnetic Compatibility Services
• Roaming Services Information
• Media Structure Report
• 5G Mobile Communications Oversight
• eGovernment Services

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• International Telecommunication Union (ITU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal UN-integrated organization for telecommunications. OFCOM represents Switzerland and assumes ambassador role defending national interests in international telecommunications and audiovisual sectors.
• European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean organization for postal services and telecommunications coordination. OFCOM participates in ECC Project Teams examining aerial UE usage in border areas and preparing responses to European Commission mandates.
• European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI)coreTechnology or IntegrationEuropean standards organization for telecommunications. OFCOM participates in standardisation activities and ensures Swiss regulations align with European technical standards.
• Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational organization for economic cooperation. OFCOM participates in OECD activities related to telecommunications policy and digital economy frameworks.
• Universal Postal Union (UPU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUN specialized agency for postal services. Significant for Switzerland as host state. OFCOM assumes responsibilities relating to international postal agreements and coordination.
• European Committee for Postal Regulations (CERP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean committee for postal regulation coordination. OFCOM actively participates ensuring postal sector meets developing public needs through international coordination.
• TV5MondeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench-language international television network. OFCOM participates in cooperation activities specific to audiovisual sector.
• FRATELminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrancophone telecommunications regulators network. OFCOM participates in this specific cooperation forum for French-speaking regulatory authorities.
• Bilateral Consultations with Neighboring CountriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegular bilateral consultations with Switzerland's five neighboring countries (Germany, France, Italy, Austria, Liechtenstein) complement multilateral contacts for cross-border coordination.
• Swiss Federal Archives (SFA)coreTechnology or IntegrationProvides LINDAS linked data service for Open Government Data (OGD) infrastructure. Used for Media Structure Report data publication and visualization.
• Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN)coreTechnology or IntegrationDeveloped Visualize tool used for open government data visualization in Media Structure Report. OFCOM uses this platform to present interactive media landscape data.
• Federal Communications Commission (ComCom)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent regulatory authority for telecommunications market consisting of 7 independent specialists. ComCom instructs OFCOM to prepare frequency awards and conducts public tenders.
• Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordinates international activities with OFCOM to ensure unified Swiss positions in multilateral negotiations and diplomatic engagements.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ARCEP: French regulatory authority for electronic communications, postal services, and print media distribution. Closest bilateral counterpart given shared French-language regulation and FRATEL membership.
• Federal Communications Commission (FCC): US federal regulator for interstate and international communications by radio, TV, wire, satellite, and cable. Comparable function in spectrum auctions (e.g., 5G C-band), broadcast licensing, and equipment authorization.
• RTR (Rundfunk und Telekom Regulierungs-GmbH): Austrian regulator for broadcasting and telecom markets, also handling postal coordination. Direct Alpine neighbor with which OFCOM conducts bilateral spectrum coordination.
• AGCOM: Italian regulator for telecommunications, audiovisual media, and publishing. Comparable scope across broadcasting licensing, spectrum oversight, and media pluralism enforcement.
• Ofcom (UK): The UK communications and media regulator covering spectrum, broadcasting, telecoms, and postal services. Most direct functional analogue to Swiss OFCOM, with overlapping responsibilities across radio/TV licensing and frequency allocation.
• BIPT / IBPT (Belgian Institute for Postal Services and Telecommunications): Belgian federal regulator for electronic communications, postal services, and electromagnetic spectrum. Direct functional peer covering the same three regulatory verticals.
• Bundesnetzagentur (BNetzA): Germany's federal network agency regulating electricity, gas, telecommunications, post, and rail. Strongest peer in the CEPT/European regulatory family and a co-coordinator of cross-border spectrum with Switzerland.
• ComReg (Commission for Communications Regulation): Irish regulator for electronic communications, postal services, and spectrum. Comparable mandate and small-market dynamics similar to Switzerland's.
• PTS (Swedish Post and Telecom Authority): Swedish regulator responsible for postal, telecommunications, and IT regulation. Direct functional counterpart in the Nordic/CEPT regulatory family and a comparator on universal service and spectrum auction design.
• ANCOM (National Authority for Management and Regulation in Communications): Romanian regulator with authority over electronic communications, postal services, and spectrum management — a near-identical mandate to OFCOM and another CEPT peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bakomCH
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCiyL4CJTvTLGt1g45LQDaGQ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bundesverwaltung
• Instagraminstagram.com/bakom.ch

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Federal Office of Communications OFCOM