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back to article Sweden axes 700MHz spectrum sale over 'national security' fears

In a surprise announcement, the Swedish government has scrapped its plans to auction off 700MHz spectrum citing security concerns. The auction was due to begin on December 1 but acting director of the country's telecoms agency, Post & Telestyrelsen (PTS), Catarina Wretman announced she had decided to cancel it a month before …

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  1. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge
    Holmes

    "This is particularly true of a total defense perspective."

    I suppose it is not boatloads of economic migrants from south of the Mediterranean who warrant setting up a "total defense perspective". It fits in however with the NATO-embiggening demonization of all things Russia and the forever imminent threat of an "invasion". Very similar indeed to the forever-imminent "nuclear bomb" of Iran, a fat, fat lie served by yellow journalists (looking at you, mainstream clique of "The Economist", you shilling twats) every two months for 15 years or so).

    With some luck we won't get a finagled "NATO event" before the US election, but ... who knows.

    3 16 Reply
    1. Charlie Clark Silver badge
      Reply Icon

      Re: "This is particularly true of a total defense perspective."

      FWIW The Economist while generally anti Putinist Russia, is weakly pro-Iran and anti-House of Saud. Has to tread a bit carefully because of US politics which are so pro-Saudi and anti-Iran.

      1 0 Reply
  2. Mage Silver badge

    Say goodbye to good Mobile coverage.

    What unmitigated rubbish.

    It's a cellular system. The 700MHz is actually too low for decent cell size and control.

    Build more 900 / 1800 / 2100 masts. Gives more coverage AND more speed / capacity.

    The 800 MHz sell off was about raising revenue and letting Mobile operators do low capacity cheaply on existing masts. The 700 MHz is even worse and is driven by US Multinationals wanting royalties for the chips and Regulators hopeful for revenue.

    700MHz for mobile only made sense in Analogue and GSM and CDMA-1 Voice only days.

    3 0 Reply
    1. diodesign (Written by Reg staff) Silver badge
      Reply Icon

      Re: Say goodbye to good Mobile coverage.

      It was a deliberately flippant sub-head. And yeah, there are other frequencies, but still doesn't detract from the odd decision.

      C.

      0 3 Reply
    2. tr1ck5t3r
      Reply Icon

      Re: Say goodbye to good Mobile coverage.

      No need to build masts, with the latest OS's sharing wifi resources and 802.11h products hitting the market next year (26km range), you'll see devices effectively become mobile roaming hotspots where ever people go in the world. Project Loon could end up being a loony idea, but routing traffic and caching will become an interesting subject in the years to come squeezing out the last ounce of efficiency from a rapidly changing evolving the network.

      3 0 Reply
    3. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Say goodbye to good Mobile coverage.

      @mage

      what complete and utter garbage. There are 4 BILLION people covered by the APT700MHz band plan (look it up) and growing - designated Band 28 by the powers that be around the world. That is excluding North America who I agree have a retarded approach to spectrum in general. APT700MHz networks are deployed extremely successfully in many countries - including Australia which has significant and ongoing deployments by it's two major cellular carriers. There is no reduction is speed either - B28 support exactly the same throughput/capabilities as any other FDD LTE band.

      2 0 Reply
  3. allthecoolshortnamesweretaken

    Hmm. Usually 'national security' fears in Sweden have something to do with Russian subs lurking in the skerries; I wonder what it's this time. Did Säpo forget to order new surveillance kit using other frequencies on time?

    2 0 Reply
  4. foo_bar_baz
    Angel

    Total defense encompasses defense of local industry

    Ericsson stock is down. Need a big government contract. Mmm. Pork.

    2 1 Reply
  5. Knoydart
    Alert

    flipping things around?

    Maybe the various government agencies actually now want some 700 MHz for their own network(s), so like various bits of the Australian and South Korean administrations, they want to not sell it lock stock and barrel commercially, but carve some blocks for themselves out of the band that is proposed to be auctioned.

    Must have been an awkward meeting or three to make that call (of pulling the auction), so close to start date. Popcorn sales at Ikea must be sky rocketing by now.

    2 0 Reply
  6. AIBailey
    Joke

    Bah!

    Sweden axes 700MHz spectrum sale over 'national security' fears

    I came here hoping to read news about Sinclair's secret supercomputer technology, and all I get is some blurb around mobile phone signals.

    Call yourself an IT news site????

    3 0 Reply
  7. Charlie Clark Silver badge

    Could it have anything to do with money?

    Even in its cities Sweden has a relatively low population density and has already "solved" most of the problems related to coverage, not least with the many council run WiFi-services around. And service in the sticks has long depended upon tie ups between the networks, the equipment providers and local councils. with the government only too happy to throw additional cash in.

    Traditionally Sweden hasn't auctioned frequencies just held beauty contests. Given the lack of interest in other countries for new spectrum it may simply have become apparent that they wouldn't get a lot of money for the frequencies. Well, at least not enough to be worth making the spooks use something else.

    1 0 Reply

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