No, barriers to broadband deployment cannot be removed Peter Eriksson

Yesterday, a government press release came out with the headline "Barriers to broadband deployment to be removed", and for a few seconds I, and I'm sure many others, had a "Finally!" on the tip of my tongue. However, I swallowed this pretty quickly. The government's measure consists of giving PTS the task of investigating the problem of processing times in general for one year (!), because "permit processes are often perceived as complicated and time-consuming, which can negatively affect the willingness to invest and the rate of expansion".

This is not good enough.

The measure is lame for two reasons: firstly, it means a possible change and improvement only after the investigation is completed, i.e. only in the second half of 2018. Secondly - and this is really serious - the measure does not provide a solution to the fact that the government's own authority, the Swedish Transport Administration, is currently the single biggest bottleneck for broadband expansion in Sweden.

The Swedish Transport Administration's long processing times for laying cables in road and railroad areas have been a major challenge for broadband construction operators for several years. This has been no secret: the industry has drawn the authority's attention to this in various ways on several occasions but has not really been heard.

Since the fall of 2016, the issue has been acute for companies that are trying to build broadband to their customers but are prevented from doing so, while waiting for permission from the Swedish Transport Administration. At the beginning of the year, there were around 1500 cases in the queue. The queue is not shrinking. On the contrary: according to the Swedish Transport Administration, the number of cases is now closer to 2000. The Swedish Transport Administration itself has said that the situation is worrying. There has been talk of action packages and increased resources. At present, the Swedish Transport Administration says that they estimate that we will see "noticeable changes in the case queue within 6 months".

This is not good enough by a long shot! The 2017 digging season, i.e. the frost-free time of year when it is possible to bury fiber, is absolutely crucial for the broadband builders. We have pointed this out to the Swedish Transport Administration and its DG, PTS and its DG (which has a clear responsibility to promote the expansion of broadband), the Ministry of Enterprise and Innovation (which is responsible for the two authorities) and Peter Eriksson (the minister responsible for broadband issues) both once, twice and three times in the last six months. We have also asked for a meeting with Minister of Infrastructure Anna Johansson's State Secretary (who is responsible for the Swedish Transport Administration as an authority), which he has declined.

The government is very clear in its broadband strategy that they must increasingly help to remove barriers and create better conditions for the investments that our member companies want to make by emphasizing that it is crucial that private investment is not prevented and crowded out, but that market players continue their investments and are given incentives and conditions for it.

So what is happening? Not much. A year-long and very general investigation is launched.

This is naïve bordering on lazy. This is not removing obstacles. Removing unnecessary obstacles is clearly pointing the finger at the Swedish Transport Administration and saying: solve the problem and solve it now!