The Swedish government has announced a decision to reassign a portion of the 700MHz band for mobile broadband use from 1 November 2017, with the Swedish Post and Telecom Agency (Post & Telestyrelsen, PTS) now expected to start preparing the terms and conditions of the forthcoming spectrum auction. Karoline Bostrom, head of the unit for spectrum licences at the PTS, said: ‘We welcome the fact that the issue is now clarified and look forward to [starting work] on the assignment. We see that there is a great need for improved capacity and coverage throughout the country and it is good that we know the deal.’
According to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database, the government had ordered that the 700MHz (694MHz-790MHz) band be relinquished by terrestrial television broadcasters by April 2017. However, in November last year the PTS cancelled the tender, following concerns raised by the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) about national security and safety.