Telia’s fixed line phasing-out programme one-fifth complete

In a report submitted to Swedish telecoms regulator Post & Telestyrelsen (PTS), national incumbent telco TeliaSonera (Telia) disclosed that its ‘technology shift’ project involving discontinuation of fixed line services in various rural areas has so far been carried out in areas covering 10,000 of the 50,000 telephony subscribers scheduled to be affected by the shift. TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database says that in September 2010 Telia started a process of removing sections of its fixed network in areas where it is not considered technically or economically feasible to maintain the PSTN or upgrade to fixed broadband. Instead, the operator pledged to offer users in these zones a replacement mobile voice and data solution, either directly or via third-party agreements. The process is scheduled to take around five years, affecting approximately 50,000 households and businesses nationwide by 2015.