Won't work, as Billag is not just about Swiss programs, but ANY programs.

Swiss transmitting stations transmit much more than Swiss programming.

While they've cut down over the years, there are still 170 transmitting sites in Switzerland, and ALL programming, Swiss, private or foreign, gets transmitted by them.

And cut out the Swiss microwave links, and the whole of European transmission goes down the tubes.

Tom

Well let's just be honest and call it a tax and pay for it out of general taxation funds.

Ah thanks!

I reckon you won't be able to avoid the radio fee. But as you live in a dorm I'd check with your landlord.

Is internet access enough? I thought a personal device decides whether you pay or not.

Internet is not enough to mean you must pay the Billag tax.
We have internet only and have never paid Billag in almost 20 years here.

You need to have a TV subscription of some sort (which gives you a signal) and of course the device to watch the channels on.

But remember, you are not resident here, make your mind up please

A "TV subscription" is not necessary to receive a signal.

As for not paying, well that's not really surprising coming from you

What nonsense.
Firstly I have never stated here that I am a non-resident.

Secondly, if you don't have a TV you don't need to pay the Billag tax at present. It has been like this for decades. Why would we pay for something we don't have or need? We have never been invoiced for it either!

How can you receive a signal if you do not have some sort or service or subscription set up?
An aerial is no longer sufficient as that signal has been switched off.

BS, better read up on this. A smart phone is sufficient.

No it isn't. You need to have a TV service set up. Who watches TV on a phone anyway?!

They will charge you for any screen apparently, TV, tablet, smartphone, PC, etc. They argue that online tv is watchable on anything, hence the tax. They will also get data on you from your online providers, they know who has cable and who does. I wouldn't mind if the TV was better. To assume everybody is dying to watch it...meh.

I believe they get their data from the town hall. They know who is registered as resident at each particular address. I don't know if they have other sources, for these would not be entirely useful for them.
You can have a TV subscription in your name at an address where your children or partner reside for example, but not be resident there yourself. Billag will try to bill the children or partner as they are resident there, not you!

Also it works both ways. Having the subscription alone is not enough, you also need the device to watch it on.
For example: you can have internet with UPC but only use the internet and phone parts of it and not the TV part (which is included in the bundle - in fact I don't think you can remove it from the bundle).
This is not enough to trigger the Billag tax if there is really no TV in the house!
Billag may want to come in to inspect that there is no TV. If they are happy there is not one in there and have seen this then, there is no charge.
More often than not though an inspection is not carried out. What counts is what you notify them of on their form at the beginning.

We notified at the very beginning that we did not have a TV. For us, 20 years ago, this was the end of the story with Billag. We don't have a TV so we don't pay it. We have never been charged, nor has it been queried since. Even if there were to be an inspection, there won't be a fine or a charge for we don't have a TV in the house!
A PC is not enough to trigger the tax either as we don't have a TV subscription of any sort.
Both requirements have to be fulfilled, otherwise no charge.

Have you ever been to the Billag website?

Receiving devices include the following:

radios (including car radios), mobile phones with radio reception and computers (including tablets) with internet access, television and/or TV-Box with integrated radio reception

televisions, mobile phones with television reception and computers (including tablets) with internet access, insofar as you have an account (even if it's for free) with an internet television provider

Exactly you need to have both the phone and the subscription (and yes, even a free one) to trigger the charge.
Of course we have phones, but we do not have a subscription, so both requirements are not fulfilled. Thus no charge.

The phone(s)/tablet(s)/PC(s) alone are not enough to trigger the Billag tax.

Are you a troll?

No.

No troll would ever admit that anyway

In other words the question should not have been asked?

No, the question is valid

Yet pointless according to your previous post.