Broadband went up in bureaucratic smoke

And then it came. The report that would make broadband construction flourish again. Or at least create the conditions for building broadband in rural areas. But we were disappointed. Or not just us, but Sweden as a digitizing nation.

Anyone who has been following this broadband story will know that in May, the Swedish Transport Administration was tasked by the government with promoting the implementation of the government's broadband goals and, by November 15, 2018, producing a model for how broadband can be installed in rural areas within the road area of state roads. We in the industry were delighted with this assignment at the time, as we expected the result to create the conditions for digitization throughout the country.

Swedish Transport Administration does not promote broadband expansion, despite government mandate

Unfortunately, I can now see that the result of the Swedish Transport Administration's government assignment, the assignment that gave us hope in May, did not amount to more than a thumb. The Swedish Transport Administration's opportunity to turn the tide, to go from broadband helper to broadband helper, from brake pad to catalyst was stifled by sheer bureaucracy.

It is good that the Swedish Transport Administration has begun to consider constructive proposals for laying fiber along small state roads, but we had expected, and needed, more clarification. The Swedish Transport Administration writes in its report that "A prerequisite for implementing a change of direction is that compensation and conditions are renegotiated, and that detailed specifications for restoration are produced." Based on my experience of the authority so far, where lengthy bureaucratic processes and thinking that stays within the box are frequent occurrences, this writing means that it will take at least a year before the conditions for broadband expansion are clarified. And then I am optimistic.

Getting clear information from the Swedish Transport Administration about the possibilities of obtaining permits to lay fiber in and along state roads in rural and sparsely populated areas is crucial for the continued broadband expansion. The authority indicates in its report that the costs will increase for obtaining permits to lay fiber in certain parts of the road area. If costs are high, broadband customers will be hit with higher prices or, in the worst case, no rollout, but we won't know for many months.

We are now in a more worrying situation than we were in the spring.

I think that the Swedish Transport Administration's actions are a betrayal of all the thousands of people who live and work in rural and sparsely populated areas and who are waiting to be part of the connected digital society. And if the government thinks it is urgent to reach the broadband goals, it is time to once again take its authority by the ear. Time is running out.