English speakers in Switzerland are well served by one service in particular, and less well by the operators' language packages. This post shows what is listed (state: October 2026), where the limits are and what to do about the programmes you will not find.
01
English TV in Switzerland: what Zattoo lists
Zattoo's Swiss channel overview lists these English-language channels, among 400 in all:
- BBC One London, BBC Two, BBC Three, BBC Four, BBC News, CBBC and CBeebies
- ITV 1, ITV 2, ITV 3 and ITV 4, Channel 4, Channel 5, E4 and Film4
- CNN International, Sky News, Al Jazeera English, Bloomberg TV and CNBC Europe
- English-language news from Deutsche Welle, France 24 and Euronews
- Quest and PBS America
02
Which plan carries which channel
The overview has a Free, a Premium and an Ultimate column for each channel, and the plan decides the quality too: Ultimate streams Full HD at 8 Mbit/s, the others HD or SD. Before you pay, open the channel overview, find your channels and check the column. Plans and prices are in Zattoo Free, Premium or Ultimate, and the 30-day trial lets you test the live picture.
03
Swisscom, Sunrise and Salt
The operators' packages are built around other languages. Swisscom's language packages are Albanica+, Bosna+, Español+, Pink Plus, Português+, Português XL, Russia+ and Star India+; there is no English package in that list. Salt sells an English Club TV channel, which it describes as an English-learning channel with films, cooking shows and documentaries, not as a general English TV service. Sunrise says it offers foreign-language packages; check its channel list for English channels.
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What you will not get
Do not expect the full British or American schedule. The main UK broadcasters sell their content by territory, so the live channels you see are a selection, and programmes can be missing or blocked for rights reasons in Switzerland. For streaming-only series, the services are separate subscriptions that you add to a TV plan: Swisscom, for example, sells a blue Binge package with Netflix Basic and Disney+ Standard as an add-on.
05
English-language news without paying
For news, several broadcasters offer their English-language live streams on their own sites, though rights can limit sport and entertainment. Using them costs nothing beyond your internet, and they are a useful first stop while you choose a plan. The Swiss public broadcaster's international service, Swissinfo, publishes in English and nine other languages.
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How to choose
A short test:
- Make a list of the five channels you really want
- Check them in Zattoo's overview and note the plan column
- Try the 30-day trial on your TV before you commit
- Add live sport only if a match you care about is not covered, see live sport on TV in Switzerland
- Add up the bill with the steps in TV costs in Switzerland
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Where to go next
See also German TV in Switzerland, Foreign-language TV and TV for newcomers. For the whole picture, start from IPTV Switzerland: licensed providers compared.
Also useful: Italian TV in Switzerland and French TV in Switzerland.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Can I watch BBC channels in Switzerland?
Zattoo's Swiss channel overview lists BBC One London, BBC Two, BBC Three, BBC Four, BBC News, CBBC and CBeebies. Check the plan column for each channel before you subscribe.
Do Swisscom, Sunrise or Salt offer English channels?
Swisscom's language packages do not include English. Salt sells English Club TV, an English-learning channel. Sunrise offers foreign-language packages; check its channel list.
Is there a free way to watch English-language TV in Switzerland?
Zattoo Free includes some channels; check the Free column in its overview. Several news broadcasters also stream English-language news on their own sites.
Will I find all British programmes?
No. Broadcasters sell rights per territory, so the live channels are a selection and some programmes are blocked.
Sources
Read next
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