Investment Plan for Europe supports high-speed broadband in Sweden and the Netherlands

The European Union will support Tele2 AB in the rollout of high-speed mobile internet in Sweden and the Netherlands with a EUR 125 million loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB). The loan will be guaranteed under the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), the heart of the Investment Plan for Europe, in which the EIB is the strategic partner of the European Commission. Tele2 will use the loan for the expansion and capacity increase of the 4G mobile networks in both countries. In Sweden, the plan intends to increase the geographical coverage of 4G, leading to near-complete coverage of the entire population by 2019. In the Netherlands, the project aims to increase the outdoor coverage to nearly 100% by 2018 and to further increase indoor coverage in densely populated areas. Here, the promoter is moving from being a virtual operator with no network to the first pure 4G mobile operator in the country. Cecilia Malmström, Commissioner for Trade, said: “High-speed broadband plays a crucial role in our work and home lives. The European Commission is committed to completing the Digital Single Market of Europe, and that includes rolling out 4G networks across the entire EU. I am pleased that the European Fund for Strategic Investments is guaranteeing such an important project with Tele 2.”