The telco aims to keep costs down with online sales and helpdesk and by making the product self-install; a telephone helpline is available at a charge. Wingo is also only available in areas that already have fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) network coverage to minimise complexity and investment.

The Wingo Internet service provides 250 Mbps in the downlink and 25 Mbps uplink. It costs 75 francs per month (€72), in addition to a CHF58 set-up fee. A fixed line phone service is available for no monthly charge and promises low per-minute rates.Customers can add a 150-channel IPTV offering for CHF14 per month, with a CHF29 set-up charge.

"Wingo will allow us to specifically target digitally savvy, urban customers that Swisscom has so far been unable to reach effectively," said Marc Werner, head of Swisscom residential customers."We will acquire new customers with a reduced service, simplified offerings and low prices," he said.

Swisscom hopes the new service will help it to tackle some of its biggest challenges in the residential fixed-line market.

"Despite strong competition and the uniform fall in prices in the telecommunications market, Swisscom expects that it will continue to maintain or even increase its market share and revenue in the future with the help of Wingo," the telco said.

The launch of Wingo comes just days after Orange revealed that it is working on the launch of a new brand in Switzerland.

"The rebranding is a logical step in the company's development under its new ownership," Orange said earlier this week. "It is a great and unique opportunity for the company to create its own identity, with the ambition to bring more innovation and simplicity to Swiss consumers."

Orange Switzerland was acquired by French businessman Xavier Niel late last year.

Niel's Free Mobile disrupted the French market when it launched low-cost services there three years ago, and the exec is doubtless keen to have a similar impact in Switzerland.Orange has had little impact on the fixed broadband market in Switzerland though, and at present is focused primarily on its 4G mobile service.

Total Telecom