Press release: Construction of a fibre-optic network in Nyon – letter of intent between TRN (Téléréseau de la Région Nyonnaise) and Swisscom

Following several months of discussions, TRN and Swisscom have found common ground to negotiate the implementation of a fibre-optic network in the town of Nyon. All the town's inhabitants will eventually be able to choose their multimedia service provider from all those offering services over the network.

TRN (Téléréseau de la Région Nyonnaise SA) and Swisscom are due to sign a common letter of intent later today, 7 May 2013. By signing, the two parties undertake to pursue a financial, legal and technical framework in their negotiations with a view to investing jointly in a Fibre to the Home (FTTH) fibre-optic network infrastructure. The planned cooperation aims to create synergies and to make implementation of the fibre-optic network more efficient for both companies.

In an initial step, the plan is to connect the north part of the town, which equates to around 8,800 homes and businesses, by the end of 2015. Swisscom and TRN will share the costs incurred by this construction work equally. The two companies will address the issue of how to connect the south part of Nyon to the FTTH network in talks at a later point in time.

According to the letter of intent, the new lines will be laid by both companies: Swisscom will connect 36% of inhabitants and will also be responsible for laying the fibre-optic cables between neighbourhoods and the central exchange. TRN, for its part, will build the fibre-optic network for 64% of the town of Nyon.

Bearing in mind that TRN SA is fully owned by the town of Nyon, the upcoming negotiations regarding deployment of a new network will have to receive the backing of the local authorities and Nyon Town Council in autumn 2013. In the meantime, the two companies will continue to develop and market their own multimedia service offerings with access to digital TV including high definition, high-speed Internet and fixed-line telephony, on their respective networks.

Four fibres per connection to encourage competition
In order to encourage competition and in line with the recommendations of ComCom (the Federal Communications Commission), homes and businesses will be connected by 4 optical fibres. Customers will therefore be free to choose between the services offered by Swisscom, TRN and other telecommunications companies in order to benefit from attractive offers from several service providers. It should be noted that TRN already serves more than 16 municipalities in the district of Nyon with fibre optic cabling using Fibre to the Building technology.