Advanced Television

5G network boost for Sweden

May 26, 2020

By Colin Mann

Swedish telcos Tele2 and Telia have both launched 5G networks, with Tele2 May 24th claiming it  switched on Sweden’s first 5G network and Telia saying that it was inaugurating its first major commercial 5G network in Stockholm on May 25th.

From June onwards, Tele2’s customers will be able to enjoy the next generation mobile network with speeds surpassing 1 Gbit/s in Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö, with the telco saying

“Today is a big day, as we present Sweden’s first 5G base stations in Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö,” declared Anders Nilsson, CEO and President of Tele2. “I am immensely proud of the fact that we now reveal what will be Sweden’s first real, and most encompassing, 5G network. It will be even faster and more secure than our award-winning 4G network, which has enabled services like Spotify, Netflix and Skype and become a natural and fantastic part of people’s lives. With 5G comes unlimited possibilities.”

With 80 MHz bandwidth on the so-called ‘C-band, the frequency band all global mobile phone manufacturers will launch their coming 5G phones and products on, Tele2’s customers will reach speeds surpassing 1 Gbit/s from the outset.

“The government has delayed the planned auction of 5G spectrum in Sweden, which is unfortunate since the 5G roll out is essential to drive the digitalisation of both the public and private sectors,” advised Nilsson. “At Tele2, we decided to buy additional frequencies to reach 80 MHz unique bandwidth on the C-band, and can therefore launch real 5G already before the summer.”

From June 24th 2020, all customers with a Tele2 Unlimited subscription and a 5G compatible mobile phone from Samsung’s Galaxy S20 series, will get free access to Tele2’s 5G network. Additional offers and cooperations with other leading mobile phone manufacturers will be presented going forward and the roll out of 5G will continue successively throughout the country.

Telia Sweden’s commercial 5G network in Stockholm has been up and running for a number of weeks already. Fifteen base stations are already in place, and during July, a further 60+ will be built. The 5G network will cover most of central Stockholm by Midsummer. Expansion of the network is underway in a further 12 cities including Gothenburg and Malmö, where it will be launched later in 2020.

“Our networks have never been more important to lives and livelihoods, than now,” stated Allison Kirkby, President and CEO of Telia Company. “Telia’s 5G launch lays the foundations for the next phase of digital transformation, with innovation, sustainability and security as three critical pillars, and we are proud to be doing this launch, in partnership with Ericsson. As we roll-out 5G across Sweden, we will open up new user experiences and accelerated innovation in areas such as entertainment, healthcare, manufacturing and transport, that will collectively strengthen and protect everyone living and working in Sweden, and Swedish competitiveness in the world.”

“The Corona crisis has forced several countries to postpone the rollout of 5G, but in Sweden we manage to maintain the pace of development, despite the difficult situation we are in,” commented Anders Ygeman, Minister for Energy and Digital Development. “The crisis has shown the importance of telecommunications for work and digital meetings, and here 5G will play a significant role.”

During spring 2020, 15 base stations have been upgraded with 5G in Stockholm, and the network is already up and running. A further 60+ are set to be completed during June in partnership with Ericsson. As a result, a significant part of Stockholm will be covered by 5G by the end of the month, including Norrmalm, Östermalm and Vasastan. Parallel to this, expansion of the network is taking place in a further 12 cities, including Gothenburg and Malmö, where it will be launched later this year.

“This is a real milestone for us as a Swedish company as we partner with Telia Company to make commercial 5G a reality for its users in Stockholm,” said Börje Ekholm, President and CEO, Ericsson. “Whether through enhanced mobile broadband or innovative new business, societal and industrial applications, 5G is set to change life and society for the better right across Sweden. We look forward to working with our strategic partner Telia Company to drive this change and ensure Sweden benefits from the competitive benefits of digitalisation.”

Customers with the subscription Telia Mobil (private customers) or Telia Jobbmobil (business customers), who have 5G-ready smartphones from Telia, and are located in an area with 5G coverage will be able to connect to the new network.

The first 5G-ready smartphones are already on sale, among them the Samsung Galaxy S20. An automatic software update, that will come during the summer, is required for this model to be able to connect to the network. A 5G symbol will appear on the display once the device is connected to the 5G network.

Categories: 5G, Articles, Mobile