Liechtenstein

Basics

The Principality of Liechtenstein (Fürstentum Liechtenstein) is one of Europe’s smaller countries nestled between Switzerland and Austria. It only measures 160 square kilometers. But it’s in a very special position: It's part of the EEA, so EU laws apply, but it's attached to networks of Switzerland too, where they don't.

Liechtenstein has 3 network operators:

• Telecom Liechtenstein (FL1, formerly Mobilkom Liechtenstein)
• Swisscom
• 7acht (by Salt Mobile SA of Switzerland, formerly Orange CH)

It has an excellent coverage on 2G and 3G. Telecom Liechtenstein is the market leader in this country, but has no prepaid product so far. 4G/LTE has started with all three operators. Frequency bands 800, 900, 1800, 2100 und 2600 MHz (Bands 1, 3, 7, 8 and 20) were allocated. 3G on 7acht (Salt), Swisscom and Telecom Liechtenstein have been shut down by 31/DEC/2023, so for data service, you will need a 4G/LTE or 5G/NR capable device. For prepaid offers you need to turn to Swiss providers or roam with another EEA SIM card.

Although Liechtenstein is not part of the EU, it's part of the larger EEA, where from 2017 common international roaming rules are enforced on SIM cards issued in the EEA. For specifics about the new regulation check European Union chapter and every provider below. As some providers have the same name, make sure you are connected to a Liechtenstein antenna (MCC: 295) instead of a Swiss (MCC: 228). If your phone does not show the MCC, then another way to make sure is to connect to Telecom Liechtenstein (FL1), which only operates in Liechtenstein, not in Switzerland.

Note that all prepaid SIM cards issued in Liechtenstein are considered Swiss (i.e. non-EEA) SIM cards for which these rules don't apply. So all EEA roaming is subject to surcharges. This can't be bypassed by buying a Swiss SIM card in Liechtenstein, making Liechtenstein an exception from the list of EU/EEA countries. For better rates in the EEA you need to buy your SIM in another EEA country.

Common market with Switzerland

The Liechtenstein mobile phone system is attached to Switzerland. This means that customers of all three providers can roam in Switzerland on Swiss networks without additional fees. This applies to data too.

Telecom Liechtenstein (FL1) uses its partner network Salt for free roaming in Switzerland, while 7acht (Salt) and Swisscom are linked to their respective Swiss home networks.

So you can buy any product of these three to be used in Switzerland without additional costs. Telecom Liechtenstein (FL1) is not featured here, as they don’t sell prepaid products, so better go to 7acht (Salt) or Swisscom instead or buy your SIM card in Switzerland.

Vice versa you can buy Swiss prepaid SIM cards to be used without surcharges roaming in Liechtenstein. This applies to Swisscom and 7acht (Salt) and their respective MVNOs, but not to Sunrise and its MVNOs. Sunrise doesn’t have its own network infrastructure or a local partner in Liechtenstein and charges high fees for international roaming in this small country on the FL1 network, and even if you buy a package that has roaming enabled, roaming in Liechtenstein is capped according to their FUPs.

Looking for a prepaid card for Liechtenstein, refer to our Switzerland section and look for Swisscom and Salt or one of their MVNOs like Coop mobile, OK mobile or Lycamobile. Better stay away from Sunrise, if you want to use it in Liechtenstein as well.

Member of the EEA

Though Liechtenstein is attached to the Swiss market, it's - unlike Switzerland – part of the EEA, where EU roaming caps apply too.

That’s why Swiss and Liechtenstein networks are still separate for fiscal reasons and can be billed very differently, even if they have the same name. This is especially true when you are roaming internationally with an EEA SIM card in Liechtenstein. The EU/EEA roaming caps for data apply only to Liechtenstein, while roaming in Switzerland is treated very differently by various EU providers.

So it depends where you mobile phone has logged on. The Salt and Swisscom networks are often shown very similar in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. If you are roaming with an EEA SIM card on Telekom Liechtenstein (FL1) you can be pretty sure to be charged according to EU/EEA rules. When roaming on Swisscom or 7acht (Salt) make sure that you use MCC 295 for Liechtenstein instead of MCC 228 for Switzerland if you are using EU/EEA regulated tariffs, otherwise you will be charged much higher.