1. They have inspectors and they have the right to check, not sure how it works for entering apartments if you refuse, put probably they can call the police to assist them.

2. Yes and also any other computer, alarm clock, game console, car radio, mobile phone, basically anything that can be used to access tv/radio/internet.

Billag has to be paid, its a form of taxation... TV or no TV or radio, it still has to be paid. 

Not true, if you don't own any of the items I listed (assuming there are people who don't), you don't need to pay.

Since we don't have a cable, I tried to cancel Billag payment about a year ago. They told me that I still need to pay a (lower) fee. Unless I can prove that I don't have a car radio and I don't listen to radio on the Internet, I need to pay. The person I spoke to told me it was virtually impossible to avoid paying that minimum fee. 

Edward is correct, even if you have no TV/cable connection. Because you benefit from signals all over switzerland on your mobile and wifi enabled computers, accessing online TV/radio services.

So if its Computer in your appartments, car, with yourself, your billable as your resident of CH.

That would be the radio fee.

One exception though as you are a regular paying Billag member an look for temporary exemtion:

In case of departing abroad say six month or more you may be exempted to pay during your absence providing 1) you disconnet your TV and home computer and telephone set and radio, i.e. any objects previously declared that enlisted you to mandatory pay and 2) all above items at home must be locked in a cellar if you live in a flat OR locked in a separate room in your basement if you have a house as residence.

Basically you are taking 100% chance that if you would have a guest visiting while you are away he/she would have no chance connecting to see and read TV, internet and or listen to radion frequencies. These are the Billag logics of the XXth century.

@Tea B. In this XXIst century, you know quite well that we are talking about receiving channels on TV, internet or radio on swiss grounds, and on the first two media you can switch to listen to english instead of french,german, italian or rumanche.

When you are (living) in your home country you can proceed according to rare exemptions listed in Billag site or right above, in case of temporary absence from Switzerland.

Your question is based on an incorrect premise, you don't pay for the Swis tv and radio services, you pay for the "luxury" of being able to receive tv and radio. Any tv and radio. The tax collected is used to fund Swiss public tv and radio but you don't pay for the public tv and radio.

Edward & Dave are correct.

I dont use TV and it has been removed, hence I  avoided paying of CHF 293.25 for Television reception. However, I am entilted to pay for the Radio reception of CHF 169.15. It is not easy to prove that you are not eligible to pay for Radio reception; as even you have a cell phone, you have to pay. Chk these link for more info.. 

http://www.bakom.admin.ch/empfangsgebuehren/03772/index.html?lang=en

http://www.bakom.admin.ch/dienstleistungen/faq/00763/03504/index.html?lang=en#sprungmarke3_4

Tea - I called Billag just this morning. I explained that we don't watch Swiss channels, and pay Swisscom to provide Anglophone channels. Sadly this doesn't entitle us to any discount. 

Again the same thing as with the chomage. It's a public system, so wether you use it or not - you have to pay for it unless you really don't use it. I see nothing unfair with it. It is what it is. In the Netherlands for example they cancelled it years ago, but now it's coming from the income taxes. One way or the other, if you want public TV (which I want because I can't stand commercial breaks every 10 minutes) it is just one of those institutions we have to deal with. 

And the Swiss TV is not bad at all, most of the latest series, with most of the time the 2nd sound channel has the version original in English. So since you have paid for it - why not use it :-) and some pretty good news on Switzerland if you understand one of the 4 languages.

I have to pay my health insurance.... but haven't seen a doctor in the last 4 years.... still I pay it.

It seems like I have opened a can of worms.... so many people interested in the subject. One of my main concerns is the use of a public company with no competition to collect a government tax. Another concern is there are commercials on the Swiss channels, so we pay in two ways. 

hahaha, any subject you normally bring up here could open a can of worms... but good point, there are commercials on swiss TV, not yet every 15 minutes though :-)

Think of BILLAG as the gestapo !  Whilst I lived briefly in Switzerland and had no TV I still had to pay like everybody else.

Even if you have no Wifi, no TV, no radio you have to pay.  They will assume the least piece of copper wire lying around your house has the potential to be an antenna (which is kind of true) ...

here we go with the complete details..... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television_licence

Unfortunately, wifi does not say how to avoid paying the TV/ Radio licenses :P......

It's an interesting perspective, however I have very little respect for any "business" that is not capable of funding itself and relies on tax or government grants. I can't comment for Switzerland but in a lot of coutries publict tv management pay themselves very handsome salaries etc and are anything but transparent. And how come although public tv is is in such a privileged position to start with, in most countries the quality of their offering cannot match that of private tv stations? That surely isn's healthy for the competition.

Just like I believe that public sector and NGOs can never be as efficient as for-profit organizations, profit is a big motivator and without its pursuit organizations tend to become self-absorbed.

Very fair point. However - I think certain services are just not made to make profit. E.g. - the public transport system, health care and utilities  - In my opnion it should remain in public hands. In order to become profitable they have to cut in cost - which normally directly shows in the level of service, or worse, reliability. You are absolutely right in terms of quality, however IMHO the swiss stations are not bad at all. And look at the BBC, brilliant programs. In Holland I find it a bit more dubious, and not even the management get's paid way to high, also some of the "high flying" presenters earn a very very nice salary (more than the prime minister). So I guess there is always room for improvement. But I think they should just cancel the whole billag thing, it's an institution which keeps it self alive - their income could just be funded via the income tax revenues, a chf 300 raise on a hefty tax bill nobody would really notice. I takes away the need for Billag, so perhaps a tax-raise wouldn't even be needed since you save all those Billag employees.... A referendum comes to mind LOL

There was a petition a year or so back to lower the fees to 200 Fr... rejected. And you are right the functioning of Billag itself (100% owned subsidiary of Swisscom btw) costs 10m per annum.

BBC... good yes, but compare it to Sky and my point remains valid.

I do not have redio and I do not pay for it, only for TV.

it's just swiss extortion!!! Especially if you consider the low quality level of what you find on swiss radio and television... Swiss rip-off perfection!!  And so we pay...

You are free to open the door controller Billag and let him enter. However, only controllers OFCOM have the right to enter your home with a search warrant.

http://www.bakom.admin.ch/dienstleistungen/faq/00763/03504/index.html?lang=fr

Hello everyone - one related question: we are 2 housemates living together, do we have to pay billag separately? Because we use the same devices at home.

Also, we don't have a radio and we never listen to the radio - but of course we have access to the internet. Can we avoid paying the radio tax or they will tell us we can listen to the radio online?

Thank you all very much for your help.

There is a Q&A section on the billag website.   Taxes are paid by household.

Radio transmissions can be received by alarm clock radio, radio, DAB, internet or on your phone, so it's virtually impossible to avoid paying.

Yes you have to pay ,there philosophy is ( if  you have  eyes to see and ear to hear so you have to pay) if you internet then u have to pay , no way with them it is part of tax . 

No, you dont. 1 bill per flat. and /or 1 bill per familly.

No, you dont. 1 bill per flat. and /or 1 bill per familly.

Fact 1. Swiss SBB makes over 100 M profit last year

Fact 2 . Billag has no information on the cost of running TV etc it's a tax rape con at best

I lvoe in France and I have been getting a RECEIPT into my bank account every month from Billag  - the recepit says billag betrag

I have asked my babk to find out why - they have failed and stop it ...  they said they cant 

Anyone got any potential information or advice  this stupid situation ! ?

LIVE in France !  

if you are retired (65 yrs) and you are on AVS pension and  PC ( prestation complimentaire) then you are not obliged to pay the tv/radio tax. but you have to prove it and request it!

But no such joy if, in addition to your AVS, you've a few sous in th bank that you accumulated by blood, sweat and toil over many years.

I live in the same appartment for the past 4 years. Anyone got an idea why for the 1st time I get a letter from the Billag  with a form they request me to fill out? Did they not know I existed, did they owner of the appartment stop paying?

Thanks a lot everyone!

Thomas, i had exactly the same, both me and my housemate received the same letter for the first time. I am thinking of maybe not filling it in as so far we didn't get any billag bills for this apartment (i did in my previous one with a different housemate and i already paid for this year on that one!).

not exactly true. check the details of the PC requirements. you also get to deduct 37'500 sfr every year as  "forfait" before they begin to assess your "fortune".

it pays to be poor :-)

you have just to informe Billag about your new adress, that's all. no need to pay twice.

We also received this letter. We simply didn't know that Billag exists. Can we register now and pay retrospectively without getting fined?

ok, so i dont have a TV device in my flat. How can i avoid paying the TV tax? is there any form i should fill in? anybody can advice on how to proceed with it? thanks!

Hi Benoit,

Thanks for your reply. So if i fill out the form that I dont have TV, how will they check it? do i have to schedule a visit appointment with them? I assume they won't believe it just because im saying i dont have one:)

And anybody knows if I have to notify Billag of my arrival, or should I just wait untill they send me a letter?

Billag "agents" have no authority to enter homes.  They are not law enforcement officers.

They are not police, but they are Tax officers and do have alot of means to enforce entry or you will received a retroactive invoice from the date you indicated you did not have any reception of TV, Radio, DAB+, Mobile phone, laptop, notebooks, tablets, Ipad, clock radio, etc. because if you personally have any reception of such/like you are liable for this 'Swiss Voted for Taxation'.

Billag is not a cable or TV service company, its just for providing Swiss content on TV, Radio, Internet, Meteo/Weather services, Satalite access, support swiss media culture, etc.

so, i just moved to a new flat, how do i register for this tax?

Just send them an e-mail with your customer number notifing you new addresse.

Moving into a new flat as a newly registrered in Switzerland:

https://www.billag.com/web/de/anmeldung/anmeldung_privat.html

or in french:

https://www.billag.com/web/fr/anmeldung/anmeldung_privat.html

Just any signatory is not sufficient, it needs to be a valid voter.

I totally agree that we need to end this Billag because I think for 'Media' it needs to be a free market, and not a 'Social services' for poor Managed TV/radio stations. Like subsidizing stations that just broadcast because they speak Swiss German, Swiss Italian or Romanche. It sucks that the representation in Swiss French is underrepresented and under-subsidized. Seems BILLAG management is more Swiss German profitering?

But at same time , I really dont want to see only American TV stations and American programming. I like objective News reporting like EURONEWS vs CNN. All reality TV Shows should not be subsidized just because the Swiss audiance want to see swiss youth, its waste of our money and youths brains. Best they watch Beavis and butthead or South Park than all these brainless reality shows, including American Idol, Star Academy, British got tallent, Made in Essex, etc. All rubbish

I would prefer a good nature show like where a Leopard attack a man:

http://youtu.be/s7eKXQ7bb4s

OR this Cutest bear attack ever :

http://youtu.be/lTMwrAefIVQ

OR EVEN THIS:

http://youtu.be/IFtJeKojFfI

http://youtu.be/lTMwrAefIVQ