Sudden lack of FM radio in tunnels creates security havoc.
In the end of February 2025 the newspaper 20 minutes conducted a survey on the FM switch-off in Switzerland's three language regions. (After the extremely negative results, the charts disappeared). In Italian-speaking Switzerland, listeners dropped by 62%, and public broadcaster SRG minimized its participation.
Of the 27% with daily listening on radio 13% tune in on DAB and 36% on FM. 8% have given up over the air radio listening all together. There are still lots of cross-border FM broadcast from France, Italy, Germany and Austria reaching most Swiss homes and cars. - 62% are not listening to the Swiss public service channels any longer. In the survey 51% thought that the FM switch-off is a scandal. Next year, Switzerland will vote on the 200 Fr initiative (media tax), and the people will express their opinion, which has not been taken into account so far.
After the SRG shut down its FM transmitter network at the end of 2024, it was decided February 19, 2025 together with the Federal Roads Office Astra to switch off FM in the tunnels (motorways) as well, although or precisely because the private receivers were still in use.
Another issue that informed circles already knew about but that many users are only now noticing is the lack of emergency alert system TMC, which was also broadcast via RDS on FM. All of a sudden, all navigation devices are now missing the relevant information, and this is neither currently nor in the future broadcast on DAB, according to SRG. Astra's reaction was: nowadays people use Google Maps or something similar anyway. Bu then there would consequently be no need for DAB, as you can listen to internet radio just as well and all new cars are Internet connected.
In the meantime, all Swiss DAB network operators are struggling to fill their MUX-es and thus operate at a cost-covering level. In the meantime, they hope to fill the free capacity with Italian programs. SwissMediaCast, the main Swiss DAB+ operator with 6 muxes with widespread distribution in Switzerland also opens to the Italian market.
SwissMediaCast operates six multiplexers in Switzerland: the main one covers the whole of German-speaking Switzerland, the other five make up regional networks that illuminate Northern Switzerland (Basel, Zurich, Lucerne, Chur), Bern-Fribourg, Eastern Switzerland, Valais and the Canton of Ticino (here is the list of stations carried in the various muxes). Of the 8.8 million inhabitants, 6.1 million (70%) are covered by all the SwissMediaCast networks. Outdoor network reception is possible in around 85% of the Swiss territory.
The sound quality of this DAB network is not on a high level as SwissMediaCast transmits stereo content at 64 kbps. However, in the networks of the Canton of Ticino, Valais and Eastern Switzerland, mono signals at 32 kbps and stereo at 48 kbps are also available. Obviously, the price is reduced proportionally.
It is quite obvious that the DAB system will have an uphill market struggle against globally well established technology as FM radio and the Internet. The Swiss did not learn from the Norwegian fiasco switching-off national FM without any listener demand for a DAB replacement.
Also read
Catastrophic Start for Transition to DAB in Switzerland
Battle for FM: Swiss Shutdown Could Be Delayed Even Further
The Final Countdown -The Future of DAB Radio Is Over