Telenor and Tele2 will build a joint 5G network in Sweden, with a target completion date of 2020, the companies said today.

The two already share infrastructure for 2G and 4G networks, built through joint venture Net4Mobility. By extending this to cover next generation technology, the companies believe they can be among the early adopters of 5G in Europe.

Patrik Hofbauer, CEO of Telenor Sweden, said: “Sweden has a high proportion of consumers and companies that are advanced users of digital services. With an early roll-out of 5G, we can meet a need for high performance and capacity and ensure Sweden will continue to be at the cutting edge of technology.”

Samuel Skott, CEO Tele2 Sweden added: “The advantages of two parties joining forces to develop a 5G network are not solely financial. It also gives us tremendous benefits in terms of how quickly and flexibly we can work when the network is actually rolled out.”

Sweden is a country with high-levels of 5G development and has already seen a successful trial of the technology, when its largest operator Telia teamed up with Ericsson to pilot 5G over a live network in the Kista district of Stockholm in October.