TeliaSonera launches consumer VoIP

Swedish incumbent telco TeliaSonera has begun offering a consumer VoIP local telephony service to customers of its triple-play voice, digital TV and ADSL internet packages. The service will initially be available to 2.4 million Swedish households, with a 2Mbps (download) ADSL package costing SEK349 (USD49.6) per month, an 8Mbps bundle for SEK369 per month and a 24Mbps option for SEK419. Digital TV channels are being offered for free for the first year, whilst subscribers can still choose traditional landline services instead of VoIP. According to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms database, the operator launched VoIP telephony for business customers in February 2004. It says that it expects take-up in the residential market to be slow to start with, due to lingering concerns about call quality, power outages and access to emergency services.