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For the first time in Switzerland, the national pricing control authority, which is responsible for protecting consumers and the economy from improper pricing due to lack of competition, has issued an official decree cutting the subscription fees charged by a cable network operator in a French-speaking region. From 1 January 2002, customers need only pay a monthly charge of CHF 17 instead of CHF 23.70. Around 12,000 subscribers will benefit from this reduction in price. The authority's detailed analysis of the operator's costs showed that the current monthly fee of CHF 23.70 was clearly excessive....

The Swiss Bundesrat (Council of Ministers) has resolved, in co-operation with the cantons, to step up the fight against punishable offences committed with the aid of information and communications systems. It is particularly concerned about child pornography on the Internet. In two statements on parliamentary motions, the Bundesrat said it wished to combat this new phenomenon through closer coordination between the Federation and the cantons. In accordance with proposals by a working group and in co-operation with the cantons, it intends to set up an Internet monitoring authority with responsibility...

The Bundesamt für Kommunikation (Federal Communications Office - BAKOM) has declared that plans by French TV channel M6 to broadcast a Swiss advertising window are "unwelcome" as far as Swiss media policy is concerned. The BAKOM estimates that the Swiss media sector loses around CHF 107 million in advertising revenue each year because of advertising windows already operating on German TV channels. In the Frenchspeaking areas, it is reckoned that a Swiss advertising window broadcast by M6 could deprive the public broadcaster Télévision Suisse romande of advertising revenue worth approximately CHF...

The Swiss Federal Council has adopted the message relating to the draft of a federal law on certification services in the sphere of electronic signatures (SCSél). The new law is intended to replace the statute on electronic certification services that came into effect on 1 May 2000 (see IRIS 2000-10: 9). The SCSél essentially repeats the statute's content, notably the principle of recognising certification service providers on a voluntary basis. These service providers are experienced in providing authenticated digital certificates attesting that a public code is linked to a specified person. The...

Teleclub SA will have to drop "d-box" technology from its plans for digital television and use an open interface converter instead. In a decision delivered on 5 June 2001, the Swiss Federal Council rejected the appeal entered by Teleclub SA against a decision of the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC). The Federal Council said that "d-box" technology imposes a closed encryption system that constitutes a threat to the diversity of what is on offer and of opinions, thereby compromising the principle of integration incumbent on television broadcasters....