Patent and Market Court: Hässleholm loses fiber case against the Swedish Competition Authority

Today, Friday 8 March 2019, it was announced that Hässleholm municipality is convicted in the high-profile fiber case between the municipality and the Swedish Competition Authority.

In October 2015, the municipality of Hässleholm decided that private companies could not bury fiber cables for broadband. IT&Telekomföretagen reported the decision to the Swedish Competition Authority, which in turn sued Hässleholm Municipality in 2017. According to the ruling, Hässleholm municipality is prohibited, subject to a fine of SEK 25 million, from refusing to grant land to companies that want to establish and sell fiber connections to end customers in the municipality.

Fast and secure broadband is a necessity for every citizen and is crucial for people to be able to live throughout Sweden. It must be a common concern that we succeed in solving the broadband challenge in rural areas as well, otherwise we will exclude individuals in our smart society and with it the increased quality of life.
A rural area without access to fast broadband means that people and businesses cannot develop like society at large. It means that people cannot take part in digital public services and creates clear shortcomings in the conditions for living and working throughout the country.

- This is a fair and good judgment, not least for the residents of Hässleholm. It is important that consumers can fully enjoy the benefits of competitive pressure. The ruling is fully in line with the government's broadband strategy," says Anne-Marie Fransson, Director of IT&Telekomföretagen.

Click here to read more about the Competition Authority's lawsuit.