After pressure from IT&Telecom companies - Hässleholm loses fiber case

After 3.5 years, when IT&Telekomföretagen reported Hässleholm municipality to the Swedish Competition Authority, the Patent and Market Court issued its judgment: Hässleholm was wrong to deny permission for private companies to lay down fiber in the municipality.

The municipality of Hässleholm wanted the municipal network company to deliver fiber to the municipality's residents, and by excluding the private companies, they thought they were making a good deal. I think it is so totally misguided by the municipality, which thankfully the court also concluded based on current competition law - the rules on anti-competitive public sales activities (KOS).

Private companies ensure well-developed electronic infrastructure

Sweden has a very well-developed electronic infrastructure and this is simply because we have a number of private companies that, in good competition, dare to invest in the long term and make the billion-dollar investments that the total expansion requires annually.

The government's broadband strategy - both current and previous - is based on the assumption that the private sector will be responsible for the majority of all investments. We can count ourselves lucky about this, especially if we compare with how little the state has actually invested in publicly owned infrastructure such as roads and railways.

Unfair competition - a problem for the services sector

Unfair competition from the public sector is a major problem for the service sector, according to a recent report from Almega. In the survey conducted by Almega, 67 percent of respondents said that they had experienced unfair competition from municipalities, county councils or government agencies. The main issue is non-market pricing. But as many as 17 percent say that it is also about not getting access to relevant infrastructure.

Let the private players invest and let the public authorities set good rules that promote competition and broadband expansion, including in sparsely populated areas. This is a prerequisite for achieving the broadband targets and thus being able to offer good public services throughout the country.