Tele2 and Telenor have launched joint commercial LTE network in Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö and Karlskrona.

Tele2 and Telenor have launched joint commercial LTE network in Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö and Karlskrona. According to Tele2 new faster network offers speeds up to 80 Mbps. Initially, users can expect speeds of 20-40 Mbps and in particularly favorable conditions can reach speeds of 80 Mbps. Both operators are offering Huawei dual-mode modems which operate on both 4G and 3G networks.

The roll-out of LTE continues so in 2011 many of Sweden’s cities will be covered by 4G. The goal is to cover 99% of the population with 4G by the end of 2012.

According to Roll-out plan Gotland, Helsingborg, Jönköping, Knivsta, Lidingö, Linköping, Norrköping, Nyköping, Trelleborg, Uppsala & Vellinge will be added during January-March 2011. Over 100 locations will have LTE by next year and in 2013, the network will be fully developed, says Telenor.

“Today is a great day as we open the 4G network in the major cities of Sweden while the roll-out continues at a rapid pace all over the country. More and more people cut fixed telephony at home to become mobile. The same development will happen on the fixed broadband market with the 4G technology. Today we are proud to open the doors to what will be Sweden’s most comprehensive 4G network,” says Niclas Palmstierna, CEO of Tele2 Sweden.

Last year, the companies announced an agreement to build a common 4G network via a 50/50 joint venture of Tele2 Sweden and Telenor Sweden. The network is expected to cover 99% of the Swedish population by 2013.