Vodafone Group announced a new partnership agreement with Tele2 covering combined services for customers in Sweden, Latvia and Lithuania.

Although Vodafone and Tele2 announced the deal today, it came into effect on 1 January. The agreement provides the UK-headquartered operator with network and service support from Tele2 covering the three countries.

Tele2 said in a statement it will also act as the key account manager for Vodafone’s global corporate clients who have a presence in the countries, “where Tele2 already has well established customer relationships”.

The Sweden-headquartered operator added the partnership will see its international customers in the countries benefit from a range of Vodafone’s global enterprise services.

In its own statement, Vodafone said the two companies will support international enterprise customers “that seek to purchase services centrally across multiple markets”.

Allison Kirkby, president and CEO at Tele2, believes the partnership highlights the growing importance of “seamless communications”, while Vodafone Partner Markets chief Diego Massidda said the company aims to further develop the relationship with Tele2 in the future.

Vodafone’s partner markets division was set up in 2002, and works to form strategic alliances with operators all over the world.

The company now partners with 31 companies in 49 countries, with recent deals including StarHub in Singapore and a non-equity partnership with Iran-based ISP Hiweb.