3 Sweden (Tre), the country’s fourth largest mobile operator by subscribers, has announced the commercial upgrade of its 4G network to LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) standard. The company’s press release on its website says that the upgraded network is already operational across Orebro, Finspang, Kumla and Norrkoping, as well as central areas of Stockholm, Malmo, Gothenburg and Uppsala, ‘doubling’ mobile data speeds for compatible 4G device users in those areas, whilst ‘in the coming year’ LTE-A coverage will be expanded across its entire national network. Maria Jonsson, 3 Sweden’s network manager, said that newer tablets and modems support the new technology alongside smartphone models such as Samsung Galaxy S6, Sony Z5 and iPhone 6s. 3 is using carrier aggregation in its licensed 800MHz and 2600MHz frequency bands to achieve the higher LTE-A (a.k.a. ‘4G+’) data speeds.
TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database says that 3 Sweden announced its full commercial LTE network launch in April 2012, before passing 80% LTE population coverage in March 2015. The company, registered as Hi3G Access Sweden, is 60%-owned by Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison (formerly Hutchison Whampoa), with the remaining 40% held by Investor, the holding company of the Swedish Wallenberg family.