Broadband Internet Access

Sweden

In Sweden household broadband is mainly available through cable (in speeds of 128 kbit/s to 8 Mbit/s) and ADSL (256 kbit/s to 24 Mbit/s), but in many places also through copper Ethernet LAN networked via fibre MANs connecting buildings. Symmetric broadband Internet access of 100 Mbit/s is available for USD 40 a month, as of October 2005. In Lund, one service offers 1 Gbit/s connections.

ADSL competition has been low in Sweden, mainly due to the fact that nearly all POTS copper is owned by Skanova (a part of TeliaSonera), who have made it difficult and expensive for third parties to gain access to the telephone stations. Nearly all ADSL provided today is through the "Skanova broadband platform", while other actors who have earlier tried to supply ADSL independently have gone over to Skanova (Bonet/Bostream), or gone bankrupt (Xpress ADSL).