Swedish telecoms group Tele2 has signed an agreement with Baltic operator Bite to create a network sharing joint venture in Latvia and Lithuania. The partnership includes sharing of active and passive network infrastructure in current networks, spectrum sharing as well as future rollout of 5G. The two operators’ current radio and transmission networks will be merged, forming a joint shared network in each country, with the aim of improving network capacity and coverage, while reducing each party’s operational costs and energy consumption. The joint network will be built out gradually starting 2021, with the full network scheduled for completion by 31 December 2023. Each party will hold 50% ownership in the joint venture in both countries.
‘The major goal of the partnership is to optimise the existing radio network and build 5G infrastructure in Lithuania and Latvia faster, less costly and with better coverage than on an individual basis,’ said Nikita Sergienko, CEO Bite Group, adding: ‘Shared radio network will result in better quality of service, larger coverage and better capacity than separate networks could provide. Not to mention that the cooperation also will result in a more efficient use of resources, and have a positive environmental impact.’