Swedish regulator the PTS has published a broadband survey which shows that 53% of all households and businesses in Sweden had access to broadband internet at a theoretical speed of at least 100Mbps in October 2012, an increase of four percentage points compared to October 2011. The increase was driven by the rollout of direct fibre services, the regulator added. Regarding take-up rates, the PTS estimates that about 27% of all households with access to 100Mbps-plus services in October 2012 subscribed to such a service, an increase of five percentage points compared to one year earlier.
The PTS also confirmed that in October 2012, 93% of all Swedish households and businesses had access to mobile broadband via 4G LTE networks, compared with 48% twelve months earlier, with the fastest development occurring in rural areas, where 79% could access LTE compared with just 10% a year earlier. It is noted that the PTS report was compiled before cellcos’ 800MHz (digital dividend) band LTE rollouts gained significant momentum in Q4 2012 – TeleGeography notes that via the lower-band 4G rollouts, Swedish operators (including Tele2 Sweden which has also deployed 900MHz LTE) have confidently targeted 99% LTE population in Q1/Q2 2013.