Though our landlines operate via Sunrise (and have done for some time), we still get a CHF 86-00 bill every two months for the honour of using/renting Swisscom's lines. We've heard that the law changed some months ago, freeing the consumer from this obligation, so that we could end this arrangement with Swisscom and do everything (saving at least this amount?) through Sunrise. However, we've heard some nightmarish reports of Swisscom 'taking it out' on people who've done this by, e.g., disconnecting their lines for up to two weeks.... Does anyone know the drill for/best way of handling how to get out of the Swisscom charge? And has anyone had a bad, or good, experience with the procedure?

talk to sunrise, they will clarify this and maybe do it for you?

You can stop paying Swisscom your land-line charges and have them taken over by your fixed-line provider, but monthly line rental fee still applies. This has been possible for the past year or so. For a standard land-line, the fees are CHF 25.25 per month.

You make the contract with your current fixed-line provider and they arrange everything for you. Swisscom doesn't need to be notified and won't disconnect your line. Since you are already calling through pre-selection with another provider, you shouldn't have any contract obligations with Swisscom.

What isn't straightforward is stopping Swisscom bills. We still get small bills every now and again for business numbers

Many thanks, Marie - so I guess CHF 43-00 per month may be the standard charge for a 3 line domestic setup, in any case? In that case, I suppose it doesn't make any difference at all whether you pay this charge to Sunrise or Swisscom....?

(btw, I was told about other customers' "nightmares" when switching this charge from Swisscom by a guy in a Sunrise call centre in South Africa - hmmmm....)

This all seems like the usual story of utility companies trying to get as many of the various charges paid to themselves - without any benefit or difference to the actual customer....

Actually, it is the case of Swisscom passing on the line rental charge to the new carrier.

The benefit to the customer is that you get everything on one bill.