Overview of Swisscom
Swisscom AG is the largest operator in Switzerland, based in Bern. It was the state telecom monopoly, converted to a joint-stock company and partly privatized in 1998. The Swiss federal government still holds the majority. Swisscom leads mobile, fixed broadband, and television in Switzerland, and it operates in Italy through Fastweb.
For IoT, the beem platform manages cellular connectivity with more than 700 roaming partners, including SIM management, network security, and deployment outside Switzerland. Swiss enterprises are still adding IoT, and Swisscom sells full IoT projects for supply-chain logistics, Industry 4.0, and smart cities.
Swisscom facts
- Founded: 1998, when Swiss Telecom became a joint-stock company
- Headquarters: Bern, Switzerland
- Shareholders: Swiss Federal Government holds about 51%
- Mobile users: about 6.5 million (Switzerland)
- Broadband users: about 2 million (Switzerland)
- Italian business: Fastweb (broadband operator)
- Market share: About 60% of Swiss mobile
- Network: 4G LTE, 5G NR, NB-IoT, LTE-M
- IoT platform: beem (cellular IoT)
- Annual revenue: About CHF 11 billion
- Listing: SIX: SCMN
Development History and Milestones
The history of Swisscom can be traced back to the establishment of Switzerland's first telegraph company in 1852. In 1997, the Swiss Parliament passed the Telecommunications Act, opening up the telecom market and initiating the shareholding reform of Swiss Telecom. In 1998, Swisscom AG was established and went public, with the Swiss Federal Government retaining a majority stake. In the 2000s, Swisscom acquired the Italian broadband operator Fastweb, expanding into international markets. In the 2010s, Swisscom invested heavily in 4G and fiber optic networks, becoming the first operator in Switzerland to launch 4G and 5G.
In terms of IoT development: Swisscom has long provided communication services for key industries in Switzerland, including government, finance, and manufacturing; the beem platform offers global IoT connectivity management and supports 700+ roaming partners; Swiss enterprise IoT adoption continues to grow, with supply chain logistics (76%) and Industry 4.0 (34%) being the main application scenarios; Swisscom's cloud, security, SAP, and other enterprise services form a synergy with IoT.
Core Technical Capabilities
Beem IoT platform
Global cellular IoT connectivity management, 700+ roaming partners, SIM management, network security protection
Cloud security
Swiss data sovereignty, enterprise-level security, meeting high compliance requirements in finance, healthcare, etc.
Industry 4.0
IoT for Swiss enterprises, covering supply chains and production automation
Global roaming
Beem supports over 700 networks worldwide for multinational IoT deployments
Beem IoT platform
beem is Swisscom's platform for cellular IoT connectivity. It covers the SIM lifecycle (activation, suspension, and deactivation), live usage monitoring and alerts, more than 700 roaming partners, network security (tamper checks and threat detection), bulk device management, and an API. Enterprises can place devices outside Switzerland and still follow Swiss and EU data-protection and security rules.
Network standards and coverage
| Technology | Coverage | Typical use | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4G LTE | Nationwide Switzerland + global roaming | Mainstream IoT connectivity | Primary network |
| 5G NR | Major cities in Switzerland | High-speed IoT, industrial 5G | Still expanding |
| NB-IoT | Main regions of Switzerland | Smart metering, sensors | Commercial deployment |
| LTE-M | Some regions of Switzerland | Mobile IoT devices | Expanding in stages |
Industry Solutions
Supply chain logistics
- Cargo tracking
- Cold-chain monitoring
- Warehouse management
- Delivery optimization
Industry 4.0
- Production automation
- Predictive maintenance
- Asset tracking
- Digital twin
Smart city
- Intelligent parking
- Public lighting
- Environmental monitoring
- Municipal facilities
Finance and healthcare
- ATM connectivity
- Medical device networking
- High compliance scenarios
- Data sovereignty
Competitive Advantages
- Market leader: the largest operator in Switzerland, with a market share of about 60%
- Data location: Data kept in Switzerland, which matters for finance and healthcare
- beem: More than 700 roaming partners, and SIM management on one platform
- Enterprise services: Cloud, security, and SAP next to IoT
- Coverage: 4G and 5G across Switzerland, including the Alps
Support
Enterprise support
- A Swisscom enterprise team
- Consulting on IoT designs
- Support for the beem platform
- A named account manager
Security services
- Network security
- Threat detection
- Compliance consulting
- Data encryption
Platform
- Connection management on beem
- SIM lifecycle
- API integration
- Global roaming