Telia and Ericsson beat Swedish 5G speed record

In May last year, Telia launched Sweden’s first large-scale public 5G network in Stockholm. Since then, the company has pushed ahead to provide all Swedes access to the country’s best network. 5G is now being rolled out at a high pace from Skåne to Lappland and is already available in 22 cities. And in doing so, Telia managed to beat the Swedish 5G speed record.

“Using the 3.5 GHz band we acquired in the 5G auction, Telia and Ericsson can now test what Swedish-developed 5G technology really is capable of. Reaching this speed live in our network is a fantastic achievement, not least because it’s done using a standard smartphone. This means that anyone with a Telia 5G subscription from can get to the same speed levels”, says Staffan Åkesson, Head of Networks Telia Sweden.

“We hope this can inspire companies to develop completely new digital services using 5G’s unique technical features such as high bandwidth and short response times. We have already seen how 5G contributes to more accessible health care, smarter public transport and transforming mines to safer workplaces. But we have only scratched the surface, especially in terms of consumer services that will facilitate and improve our lives, in everything from entertainment to connected homes”, Staffan Åkesson continues.

The Telia-Ericsson collaboration means that 5G will have the same coverage as today’s 4G network, in the period leading up to 2025 (covering 90 percent of Sweden’s geography and more than 99 percent of the population). As early as 2023, the 5G network will cover more than 90% of the population. 4G capacity will also double as part of the mobile network modernization.

“By utilizing our 5G leadership, expertise, and experience from delivering 5G networks globally, we are happy to, together with Telia, roll out a network that creates an exceptional 5G experience for the whole of Sweden. The speed record was made possible by combining the latest energy-efficient 5G and 4G solutions. High-performance 5G networks will be fundamental to take digitalization to the next level and for the creation of new advanced applications in both industries and society at large”, says Jenny Lindqvist, Head of Northern and Central Europe, Ericsson.

Telia’s 5G network uses higher frequency bands, such as 3.5 GHz, in densely populated areas with a lot of connected people and things using the network. The higher frequency bands are also used to build local, dedicated 5G networks for e.g., industry, ports, and hospitals. The lower frequency bands, such as 700 MHz, are used in rural areas to be able to offer good coverage and connection.
CT Bureau