The Swedish Civil Defence Agency Selects Telia as the Primary Partner for the Swedish Emergency Network

Telia has been awarded the contract by the Swedish Civil Defence Agency to deliver the radio access network for SWEN (Swedish Emergency Network).

SWEN is an evolution of the current Rakel system and will gradually become the shared communication network for emergency services and other components of Sweden’s total defence system.

Society relies on the ability of emergency services, the police, healthcare providers, the armed forces, and other entities responsible for essential services to collaborate and carry out operations—whether in everyday situations, during crises, or, ultimately, in wartime. To meet future needs for secure information sharing, command and control, and collaboration, SWEN is now being established as a new national communication network based on modern 4G and 5G technology.

Telia won the tender for the radio access network—the part of the infrastructure that provides users with access to the network via mobile masts and antennas across the country. It serves as the critical link between users' devices and the mobile network. This assignment makes Telia a key partner in building Sweden’s future communication infrastructure for socially critical operations.

"We are incredibly proud of the trust placed in us to contribute to the development of SWEN. Sweden needs robust, secure, and resilient communication solutions that function when they are needed most." "With our experience in building and operating national digital infrastructure, we look forward to working with the Swedish Civil Defence Agency and other stakeholders to create the conditions for effective command and coordination for both civil society and total defence,"

says Anders Olsson, CEO of Telia Sweden.

SWEN marks a significant technological shift for Sweden’s mission-critical communications. The network will gradually replace Rakel, which has served as the primary communication platform for emergency services and other vital societal actors for more than two decades.

The rollout of SWEN will take place in stages, in close cooperation between the Swedish Civil Defence Agency, user organizations, and other suppliers. The network will provide communication services to the more than 700 organizations currently using Rakel, with the transition scheduled for completion by 2030.

The assignment from the Swedish Civil Defence Agency to deliver the radio access network for SWEN represents an expansion of Telia’s ongoing mandate—held since 2022—to provide radio access networks for mobile data communication services to emergency services as a complement to Rakel.