Phone & internetDE
Phone & internet · Switzerland
Checked 2026-10-14

📅 How long can a phone or internet contract last in Switzerland, and how do I end it?

The short answer

Swiss telecom law sets no maximum minimum term. Contracts often bind you for 12 or 24 months and, if not cancelled in time, usually renew for the same period. The notice period is set in your contract or terms and conditions.

Phone and internet contracts often start with a minimum term and then run on. How long that first term may be, and how much notice you give once it is over, depends on the rules in Switzerland.

Official source: de.ombudscom.ch · Checked 2026-10-14

📜 The rules in Switzerland

The details

  • Cancel in writing by registered post so you can prove the date. Some providers accept cancellations only by phone or chat. (de.ombudscom.ch)
  • The universal service provider may refuse to build or upgrade a connection if you reject its minimum term. If you contribute to the building costs, it may not impose a minimum term (Art. 18 FDV). (fedlex.data.admin.ch)
  • A provider may end the contract early only for good cause as set out in its terms. Without it, the provider can only cancel at the agreed end of the contract. (de.ombudscom.ch)

ombudscom – Schlichtungsstelle Telekommunikation

Official telecom dispute body: mediates between you and your provider once your complaint to the provider has failed. You pay a CHF 20 handling fee. Phone line for questions on the procedure, working days 10:00–13:00.

📞 +41 31 310 11 77🔗 de.ombudscom.ch
Official source: de.ombudscom.ch · Checked 2026-10-14

🪜 Step by step

  1. Find your start date and termYour contract summary or online account shows when the minimum term ends and whether the contract now runs on.
  2. Check the notice periodOnce the minimum term is over, the notice period is often short. The rule for Switzerland is on this page.
  3. Give notice in a way you can proveUse the provider’s online cancellation, an email or a letter, and keep the confirmation with the end date.
  4. Return equipment and check the last billSend back rented equipment if you are asked to, and check that you are not billed after the end date.

📇 Who to contact

ombudscom – Schlichtungsstelle TelekommunikationOfficial telecom dispute body: mediates between you and your provider once your complaint to the provider has failed. You pay a CHF 20 handling fee. Phone line for questions on the procedure, working days 10:00–13:00.📞 +41 31 310 11 77🔗 de.ombudscom.ch
Bundesamt für Kommunikation (BAKOM)Supervises phone and internet providers and explains your rightsFor information, and to report a provider that breaks the rules📞 +41 58 460 55 11🔗 www.bakom.admin.ch
Stiftung für Konsumentenschutz (SKS)Independent advice for consumersFor advice, template letters and a second opinion🔗 www.konsumentenschutz.ch

Sponsor this page → One labelled block, €100 a month. Founding price €75 until 31 January 2027.

❓ Questions

Can I leave during the minimum term?

Usually only by paying an exit fee or the remaining charges. Some situations, such as a change to your contract terms, can give you the right to leave earlier.

Does my contract renew automatically?

Many contracts run on after the minimum term. Whether the provider must remind you first, and how you can end it then, is in the rules for Switzerland on this page.

Does a phone bought with the contract change anything?

A phone or other equipment bought with the contract can come with its own payments. Check whether they continue if you end the service.

📎 Sources

Checked: 2026-10-14

🧭 Is this still correct?

We check this information carefully, but phone numbers, websites and rules change — and sometimes we get something wrong. Spotted a mistake or a change? Let us know below.

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