What would it cost to fiberize Sweden?
Press release 2013-11-18 If Sweden is to become the best in the world at exploiting the opportunities of digitalization, at least nine out of ten households and businesses must have access to high-speed networks by 2020. IT & Telecom Sweden, Skanova, the Swedish Urban Network Association (SSNf) and the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR) are now launching a joint study with the aim of getting a grip on what such an expansion would cost. The aim is to be able to present a report in March 2014 showing the costs of building fiber to 80, 90 and 100% of households and businesses, divided into municipalities and regions. The study is being carried out by E&Y (formerly Ernst & Young) and RaLa Infratech.
According to the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority's (PTS) follow-up of the broadband strategy, an extensive expansion of fiber infrastructure is required to meet the government's broadband targets. This view is shared by IT & Telecom, Skanova, SSNf and SKL. However, in its follow-up, PTS has made an assumption that "only" investments of SEK 32 billion are needed to reach 85-90% of households and businesses with fiber. We believe that this assumption is greatly underestimated and that it risks sending the wrong signals to politicians and investors. In order to make rational decisions about how everyone in Sweden can benefit from the digital services of the future, we need to know what different broadband solutions cost in different parts of the country. That is why we are conducting this survey.
The study begins by collecting facts about already built infrastructure, geodata, construction and population, and then moves on to advanced modeling of future expansion. The ambition is that the report will be able to provide a basis for the government's own investigation into the continued broadband strategy as well as for relevant politicians and investors at national, county and municipal level.
Questions about the survey can be addressed to:
Mikael von Otter, business expert, IT&Telecomföretagen, 070-531 10 10
Ove Alm, CEO, Skanova, 070 520 02 67
Jörgen Sandström, IT Strategist, Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions, 070-554 79 68
Mikael Ek, CEO, Swedish Urban Network Association, 070-598 00 05