Swiss telecom operator Sunrise plans to cut up to 450 jobs in operational overhaul

Operational restructuring and job cuts

Swiss telecommunications operator Sunrise announced on Monday that it is evaluating an operational overhaul that could eliminate up to 450 full-time jobs. The company, which is the second-largest telecoms provider in Switzerland, employs approximately 2,900 full-time staff (reported as 2,850 employees by some sources). The proposed reduction represents just under 16% of the company's total workforce. Management stated that the transformation aims to concentrate resources on customer experience, network quality, and service reliability, while speeding up innovation and adjusting to changing consumer habits. Alongside the personnel reductions, Sunrise intends to conduct a systematic review of its supplier contracts to achieve substantial structural cost reductions over the medium term. Staff working in retail shops, sales channels, and customer support departments will be largely shielded from the layoffs, and apprentices will be entirely exempt.

Union consultations and previous cuts

The company will carry out the statutory consultation process with employee representatives and the Syndicom trade union during the fourth quarter of 2026, with meetings scheduled to begin in October. Sunrise stated that further details regarding the multi-year transformation program will be released once this internal evaluation concludes. The proposed measures follow an earlier restructuring round initiated in February 2026, during which the operator announced 147 job cuts, a process that concluded during the summer. If the new proposals are fully implemented, the total workforce reduction for the company across 2026 will reach up to 600 posts. In August, Chief Financial Officer Jany Fruytier told news agency AWP that the 147 cuts completed earlier in the year were projected to lower staff expenditures by roughly 5%.

Sunrise is considering an in-depth reorientation of its operating model in order to anticipate emerging market and technological developments and sustainably strengthen its execution capacity in its operational activities as well as its market position.

Corporate background and market valuation

Sunrise was established in 1997 as the first commercial rival to the telecommunications branch of the former state monopoly PTT, which later became Swisscom. The operator underwent multiple ownership transitions, culminating in a November 2020 merger with cable operator UPC. Following a takeover by the multinational conglomerate Liberty Global, the company was delisted from the stock market in 2021 before being relisted on the public exchange in November 2024. Sunrise is based in Opfikon near Glattbrugg in the canton of Zurich and generated 2.3 billion Swiss francs in revenue during 2025. Following the restructuring announcement on Monday, Sunrise shares rose by 2% on the Swiss exchange, outperforming a broader market gain of 1%. The stock has lost 4% of its value since the start of January and is down 14% over a rolling twelve-month period.