B2 Launches Wireless Operations

Bredbandsbolaget (B2), the Swedish telecommunications company specialising in the provision of broadband access and services to the home, announced today that it is extending its broadband services offering to include cellular telephony. It is therefore establishing itself as a ‘virtual operator', offering cellular subscriptions to consumers and businesses. B2 will in parallel hand in an application to operate a third generation UMTS network to the Swedish telecom regulator Post och Telestyrelsen (PTS).

Peter Ekelund, CEO of B2 said: "Our mission is to provide consumers and enterprises with broadband services. We regard this as a natural next step to extend our offering to include cellular users."

B2's wireless operation is already up and running. The ambition is to offer end-users, by the end of the year, a much more attractive package than is currently available on the market today. B2 has also started the preparation for its UMTS license application.

"We believe B2 has much to offer the wireless market in Sweden," says Eddy Gryvelius, who is responsible for B2's wireless activities. "We have proven that B2 is driving competition on the wireline side of the market. In the same manner we see great opportunities to significantly improve the offerings for consumers and corporations in the cellular market."

B2 will create a subsidiary for its mobile operations, and the management team is already in place. Apart from Gryvelius, who has a background from Intel Capital and Goldman Sachs, the team consists of Martin Ingels, previously project Director for the development of UMTS at Ericsson, Per Månsson, an Andersen Consultants strategy consultant with substantial experience from the wireless and communications industry, and Pär Lange, Swisscom investment strategist

. "Combining B2's infrastructure in terms of brand, services, networks, customer base and competence with our new wireless management team, I believe we have all the prerequisites in place to succeed," concludes Ekelund.