Q3 Financial Results
Nov. 23, 2018
Salt reports increasing customer base and strong profitability
- 11,100 mobile postpaid handset customers added in Q3, above-average growth rate of 3,9% YoY, resulting in a total of 1,244,000 mobile postpaid subscribers; annualized postpaid churn rate remaining at a very encouraging level (16%)
- Total revenue (excl. MTR) of CHF 243.4m and EBITDA of CHF 125.4m, decline of 1,7% and 3,2% respectively, mainly due to wholesale roaming activities that benefitted from positive contract settlements in 2017
- Strong profitability level maintained with an EBITDA margin of 47.8% and a strong cash flow generation of CHF 94.5m
- Total cash capital expenditure for the 9-month period of CHF 127.2m, demonstrating Salt’s continued investments into mobile and FTTH infrastructure
- Significant network upgrade planned, allowing to launch 5G in Q3 2019 and improving 3G/4G/4G+ experience
- Strategy emphasis on quality and improving customer experience as well as B2B to accelerate growth
Ultra HD 4K channels for all on Salt TV.
Nov. 14, 2018
We are excited to announce that, as of today, November 14, 2018, Salt Fiber customers will have access to Ultra HD channels in 4K resolution on Salt TV. With this, the operator is the first in Switzerland to make 4K TV channels accessible to all its customers.
Salt TV today features more than 380 channels including 180 HD channels and over 10’000 films and series. The new channels include the Ambiance 4K, Now 4K and Festival 4K by Stingray as well as Insight TV, the most adventurous 4K TV Channel.
New iPhone Xs for CHF 349.-
Sept. 14, 2018
Salt is pleased to offer Apple’s latest iPhone products starting September 21, 2018.
Customers will be able to pre-order iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max as of today, Friday 14, 2018 and iPhone Xr beginning Friday, October 19, 2018 online at salt.ch as well as in Salt Stores.
The iPhone Xs 64GB will be available at an incredible price of CHF 349.- to all new customers of a Plus Europe subscription when signing for a contract duration of 24 months. Existing Salt customers who would like to renew their device also benefit from attractive tailor-made offers.
Q2 Financial Results
Aug. 29, 2018
Salt pursues its Strategy of Profitable Growth
- 12,000 mobile postpaid customers added in Q2, resulting in 1,235,000 mobile postpaid subscribers overall
- Total revenue (excl. MTR) of CHF 241.5m, up +3.6% YoY
- EBITDA of CHF 122.0m, up 4.2% YoY, EBITDA margin of 46.8%
- Total cash capital expenditure in the first six months of 2018 of CHF 88.3m, up +45.1% YoY, demonstrating Salt’s continued efforts to improve mobile network coverage and FTTH development
- Customer numbers in Salt Fiber are developing in line with expectations and its service hotline has been ranked #1 amongst 15 tested operators in Switzerland, Germany and Austria
- With 100 Salt branded stores by year-end and the renewed partnership with mobilezone the distribution network will be strengthened significantly
- Pascal Grieder named as CEO
Salt names Pascal Grieder as new CEO
Aug. 27, 2018
The Board of Directors of Salt has appointed Pascal Grieder, 41, as CEO as of 1 September 2018. He replaces Andreas Schönenberger, who will continue to be a member of the company's Board of Directors
Salt Fiber's customer service ranked 1st by Connect!
Aug. 2, 2018
Salt Fiber’s customer service ranked 1st by Connect in a hotline test performed among 15 service operators.
Salt was ranked the No1 fixed line hotline amongst 15 tested operators in Switzerland, Germany and Austria. The Salt hotline especially outperformed competitors with remarkable strengths in the categories “waiting time” and “quality of statements made”.
Launched a few months ago, Salt Fiber is Switzerland’s most technologically advanced triple play offer comprising landline, television and broadband internet services for only CHF 39.95.-/month for Salt mobile customers.
Salt Fiber offers ultimate entertainment experience thanks to the fastest internet connection ever commercialised in Switzerland (10 Gbit/s symmetrical bandwidth) and an Apple TV 4K as an exclusive set-top box thanks to its unique partnership with Apple.
Q1 Financial Results
May. 25, 2018
Total Revenue (excl. MTR) Increase of 2.8% YoY – Continued EBITDA Growth to 112.8m – Successful Launch of Salt Fiber – Election of Five New Non-Executive Members of Board of Directors
- Total revenue increased by 0.5% YoY to CHF 252m in Q1
- EBITDA of CHF 112.8m, up 8.5% YoY, resulting in EBITDA margin of 44.8%
- Total cash capital expenditure amounting to CHF 52m, an increase of 41.7% YoY, showing Salt’s continued efforts to improve mobile network coverage and capacity alongside the launch of Salt Fiber
- Salt Fiber launched successfully and recorded several thousand subscriptions from all regions of the country within the first 9 weeks
- Recent election of five new non-executive members to the Board of Directors underlines Salt’s commitment to Switzerland
Andreas Schönenberger, CEO of Salt, commented: «Last quarter, we had the unique opportunity to simultaneously close a chapter and open a new one. Thanks to the successful completion of our IT transformation, we can now further simplify the business and unify the customer experience. This has allowed us to show our innovative side in terms of both included roaming units as well as additional data packages. In addition, the launch of Salt Fiber, our unique offer for ultra-fast broadband and IPTV solutions, is another proof of our dedication to innovation, simplicity and affordability.»
Five new non-executive members elected to Salt's Board of Directors
May. 23, 2018
Today, Salt is honoured to announce that at an extraordinary general assembly, which took place on May 15, five new non-executive members were elected to the company’s Board of Directors: Mr. Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, Mr. Robert-Philippe Bloch, Mr. Jacques de Saussure, Mr. Martin Lehmann and Ms. Jeannine Pilloud.
Thanks to the broad spectrum of their combined experience, their remarkable executive expertise as well as their excellent business network, the newly elected members underline Salt’s commitment to the Swiss business environment and consumer market.
Xavier Niel, Chairman of the Board said: «I am particularly delighted that such a distinguished and experienced group of individuals has been added to Salt’s Board of Directors. I am very much looking forward to collaborate with each of the new members and convinced that their combined contribution to Salt’s strategy and operations will rapidly bear fruits.»
April Network Update
May. 09, 2018
Over the course of the first four month of the year, Salt has brought up to speed almost 100 antenna sites, offering 4G+ technology and hence maximum download speeds of up to 500 Mbit/s in locations all over Switzerland such as Bischofszell, Marin (NE), Losone, Sainte-Croix and Sarnen.
The push initiated in major Swiss cities such as Zurich, Basel, Lugano, Geneva, Lausanne and Bern over summer last year has now been extended to important thoroughfares and more rural areas in general. At Salt, 4G+ benefits an ever increasing percentage share of the Swiss population now reaching 55%.
The latest expansion of 4G+ technology on Salt’s mobile network is particular good news for heavy users of capacity-intensive over-the-top (OTT) applications such as FaceTime, Skype but also Snapchat, Periscope and certain functionalities of Instagram and Facebook. Downloading content without interruptions while on the go as well as viewing, sharing and streaming videos live is now possible where previously it was not.
Two thirds of the 96 sites now offering 4G+ technology were also equipped with low frequency bands, thereby allowing for a significant improvement of network coverage nearby.
Plus Europe now offers 4 GB of monthly data roaming
April. 19, 2018
Salt today announced a major upgrade of its Plus Europe subscription, whose amount of included monthly data roaming units is jumping from 1 GB to 4 GB with immediate effect this Thursday morning. This change is permanent and hence benefits both new Plus Europe customers as well as existing ones which are renewing their subscriptions.
The change is ringed in by a special promotion for new customers, which will be running in all Salt Stores and on the company’s online channel from April 19 to May 20. Plus Europe will be available at CHF 79.95 instead of 99.- when contracting a subscription including a handset and at CHF 69.95 instead of CHF 89.- for SIM only subscriptions.
Andreas Schönenberger, CEO of Salt Mobile SA, said: «Overnight, Plus Europe has literally become Switzerland’s most attractive mobile subscription including roaming units for the EU and North America. Once again, Salt is leading by example in terms of all-inclusive Swiss mobile flat rates.»
The Revolution is called Salt Fiber / summary press release
March. 20, 2018
Today, Salt is proud to reveal the next chapter of its commercial development and to announce its market entry in the Swiss fixed-line network. Thanks to dedicated partnerships with national and regional infrastructure suppliers, Salt is evolving from a mobile-only operator to offering the full suite of telecommunication services in Switzerland, including revolutionary triple-play based on ultra-fast broadband technology.
Right from start, Salt’s offer will cover the full Swiss fiber footprint by means of partnerships with Swiss Fiber Network (SFN), major cities and other agreements making all regions of the country eligible for it. Today, the fiber network is available for inhabitants of more than 30 cities and regions in Switzerland. Further geographical extensions are planned in the coming months and years.
Andreas Schönenberger, CEO Salt Mobile said: « Today is a great day for Swiss consumers. After several years of planning, development and technological tests, Salt is proud to bring to the market it’s Fiber Box offer, which will revolutionarise the triple play and bundling market.»
Salt Fiber: the full suite of triple play services (10 Gbit/s Internet + TV + unlimited calls) at 39.95/month for Salt mobile subscribers
March. 20, 2018
Today, the revelation of Salt Fiber heralds a new era for consumers in Switzerland. Salt’s aim is to provide its customers with the full range of telecommunication services thanks to Switzerland’s most innovative and efficient triple play offer consisting of a combination of a unique 10 Gbit/s ultra-fast broadband technology, Apple 4K TV and telephony services. Salt Fiber is available in all Salt Stores and on salt.ch/fiber as of today – Tuesday, 20 March 2018.
Thanks to a single straightforward product formula, Salt Fiber is not only Switzerland’s most technologically advanced triple play offer but also the most transparent and easy to understand telecommunications suite comprising voice, television and broadband Internet services.
For Salt mobile customers, it is available at an incredible price of CHF 39.95/month and after the payment of a one off activation fee of CHF 99.95 payable upon placement of the order.
Andreas Schönenberger, CEO Salt Mobile said: « Salt Fiber is clearly the most attractive triple play product on offer in Switzerland. While giving access to a 10 Gbit/s technology and more than 300 TV channels, it has also by far the most attractively priced offer in the country. I am so proud that Salt is revolutionizing the Swiss market thanks to this extraordinary offer. »
Salt reinvents TV with partners Zattoo & Hollystar
March. 20, 2018
Salt has strengthened its existing partnership with Zattoo to invent the future of TV and integrate Apple TV 4k’s smartest features in Salt’s dedicated application: Salt TV.
Salt TV contains all of Salt’s live television offer and will provide customers with access to more than 300 TV channels of which 150 in high definition (HD) and some channels already available in 4K resolution. They will notably be organised in a German-speaking bundle with more than 30 TV channels for the entire family, a French-speaking bundle with 35 TV channels as well as access to Canal+’s myCanal application, an Italian-speaking bundle and an international bundle. Thanks to a key partnership with Canal+, a very high number of premium channels will be included in Salt’s basic offer.
Salt’s high quality video on demand (VOD) offer, available through Salt’s second dedicated app on Apple TV 4K called Salt Video, is powered by Hollystar and was developed in collaboration with Sky. It essentially builds on the company’s streaming services Sky Sport and Sky Show which provide access to a myriad of sport events as well as a video library of more than 10’000 films, documentaries and series, including exclusive US TV series available 48 hours after their initial broadcast. The format of viewed content adapts automatically to customer’s devices and screens: TV, computer, tablet and smartphone. New content will be added on a weekly basis.
Salt Fiber customers to receive Apple TV 4K as exclusive set-top box
March. 20, 2018
Salt today announced it will offer Apple TV 4K as its exclusive set-top box for customers who sign up for the Salt Fiber service, Salt’s revolutionary triple play offer that includes voice, Fiber Internet, and television service. Apple TV 4K will enable Salt Fiber customers to seamlessly access Salt’s live and video on demand (VOD) services.
Salt’s triple play customers will be able to enjoy all of the incredible features of Apple TV 4K, which delivers a stunning cinematic experience at home. With support for both 4K and High Dynamic Range (HDR), Apple TV 4K is built on the ground-breaking A10X Fusion chip — the same chip that powers iPad Pro — and features unbelievably sharp, crisp images, richer, more true-to-life colours, and far greater detail in both dark and bright scenes. The App Store on Apple TV has revolutionised the experience in the living room with thousands of apps across categories such as entertainment, sports, news, fitness, education, kids, lifestyle and more.
Thanks to the automatic installation process of the Salt app, customers of Salt’s new triple play offer can easily access Salt’s entertainment offerings on Apple TV 4K. The full integration of Salt’s TV and VOD services as dedicated Apple TV apps, alongside the thousands of apps in the Apple TV App Store, effectively frees customers from the need to buy, install and configure any additional devices, bringing the start of a simpler and smarter way of enjoying entertainment services in one’s home.
10 Gbit/s technology!
March. 20, 2018
The CE-certified and eco-designed Salt Fiber Box which is based on optical fiber technology (FTTH) and was fully developed by Salt’s technical teams in Switzerland is pushing forward the boundaries of data transmission in Switzerland and beyond. It delivers cutting-edge symmetrical 10 Gbit/s technology by means of a 10 Gbit LAN port - a total world novelty.
To reach such bandwidth the Salt Fiber Box is equipped with the most powerful 1.5 GHz quad core processor. Salt’s novel router also acts as a next generation media gateway thanks to super-fast DDR 32-bit memory, two USB 3.0 (5Gbit/s) ports, a 10 Gbit/s Ethernet interface and four independent Gigabit ports. The most advanced WLAN (WiFi) technology based on dual-band 2.4 GHz & 5 GHz and multiple antenna (MIMO 4X4) will catapult Salt customers into a whole new dimension in terms of WiFi speed, which can reach an astonishing 2,2 Gbit/s
The Salt fiber box by Alfredo Haeberli
March. 20, 2018
At a launch event in Bern, Salt today unveiled its eagerly anticipated Salt Fiber Box available to all customers residing in Switzerland and whose home is connected with the optical fiber technology also known as fibre to the home (FTTH).
Salt Fiber Box comes in a modular and fresh design – breaking with the industry’s dull and emotionless past. It was imagined, created and designed in Zurich by famous Swiss industrial designer Alfredo Häberli, who was born in Buenos Aires, graduated from Zurich’s Höhere Schule für Gestaltung in 1991 and whose brilliant career so far culminated in the award of the prestigious Swiss Grand Prix of Design from the Swiss Federal Office of Culture in 2014.
Salt enters fix business with its Salt Fiber Box
March. 20, 2018
Today, Salt is proud to open the next chapter of its commercial development and to announce its market entry in the Swiss fixed-line business. Thanks to dedicated partnerships with national and regional infrastructure suppliers, Salt is evolving from a mobile-only operator to offering the full suite of telecommunication services in Switzerland, including revolutionary triple-play based on ultra-fast broadband technology.
Right from start, Salt’s offer will cover the full Swiss fiber footprint thanks to partnerships with Swiss Fiber Network (SFN), major cities and other agreements making all regions of the country eligible for it. Today, the Salt fiber network is available for inhabitants of more than 30 cities and regions in Switzerland. Further geographical extensions are planned in the coming months and years.
2017 Financial Results
March. 13, 2018
Sustained Customer Growth – Strong Cash Flow Generation – All Time High Investments in Networks
- Sustained growth of postpaid customer base in 2017 (+1.7% YoY), of which handset subscriptions rose by +4.8% YoY
- Revenue
- EBITDA of CHF 474.9m, up 9.7% YoY, resulting in EBITDA margin of 45.2%
- Significant network investments enhanced coverage and speed; Salt ranked #1 in the 4GMark mobile performance test in February 2018
- With internalization of IT platform, insourcing strategy successfully completed
Andreas Schönenberger, CEO of Salt, commented: “In 2017, we maintained our momentum and have now successfully completed our transformation. Our relentless investments in the network are delivering ever higher quality and speed to our users. 4GMark which tests real users experience has ranked Salt #1 in Switzerland and #12 out of 284 operators in the world. Our team is now ready to enter the next chapter and to offer the full range of telecommunication services in Switzerland, including revolutionary ultra-fast broadband solutions at customer-friendly prices.”
Salt No. 2 in 4G Mark and reaches now 98% of the Swiss population with 4G
Feb. 06, 2018
Salt has reached a new level in terms of 4G coverage, which is now available to 98% of the Swiss population. This great achievement is a result of the massive and continuous investments over the last years into our network. During 2017 we have built and upgraded many existing sites resulting in a total of 897 network operations. This represents an increase of 46% compared to the previous year, notably targeting low bands for further improved in-house coverage.
All those efforts are made to address our customers’ needs and we are happy that our efforts are honoured in the 4GMARK mobile performance test. The test results show a steadily increase over the last months and we have surpassed Sunrise and are ranked second in December 2017 and confirmed such ranking in January 2018. This clearly illustrates Salt’s determination to put customer experience at the heart of its network strategy, we remain the only Swiss Mobile Network Operator providing full-speed 4G+ access to our entire customer base.
Salt and Nokia showcase mobile network of the future
Jan. 25, 2018
Today, Salt and Nokia successfully showcased how the fifth generation of mobile technology (5G) will enable new applications and business cases, such as virtual and augmented reality, driverless cars and remotely controlled road convoys as well as the seamless automatization of complex production and service processes for mobile customers in Switzerland.
The 5G demonstration which took place in Salt’s headquarters in Renens exhibited novel 5G functions such as ultra-fast network speed and a much reduced latency compared to 4G. An exceptional temporary license was obtained from the Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) to perform the tests in the 3.5 GHz frequency band, which will be at the core of the new radio configuration to be applied for the introduction of 5G on Salt’s network as of 2020. This technological breakthrough will pave the way for a countrywide implementation of a key requisite of Switzerland’s “digital strategy” – the provision of every smartphone user with the technological means to reap the benefits of an ever more digital world.
By means of a 5G antenna with 8x8MiMo the following end-to-end applications were demonstrated:
- The highest data download speed ever measured on mobile technology in Switzerland with 4.5 Gbps in the 3.5 GHz (band 42) frequency band was achieved in the broadband test.
- Virtual reality applications demonstrated the ultra-fast network latency (in the range of 1 millisecond) under real conditions and the overall stability of the 5G network.
- 360° live video transmitted from second locations also confirmed the ultra-fast network latency under real conditions and the capacity of the 5G network.
Salt takes on the Gigabit mark!
Jan. 10, 2018
In December Salt started to deploy new antenna equipment in Renens (VD), which now allows customers to reach download speeds of up to 1 Gigabit per second. Not many devices are designed to achieve such velocities but most sought-after smartphones of the moment reach impressive results of roughly 600 Mbps, which can now easily be observed when doing speed tests in our Renens Salt Store.
Besides making high speed users’ hair stand on end, this is also good news for Salt’s entire customer base in the vicinity of the Salt Store in Renens as the deployment will improve the overall down- and uplink capacity of the Store’s antenna available at any given time. Indeed, an antenna’s network capacity is always shared by all active network users. Increasing threefold the maximum throughput capacity of the antenna in Salt’s Renens office building will hence benefit everyone in the antenna’s catchment area, irrespective of the device they own.