Narrowband  |   Broadband  |  2024-10-11

Swedish Government Proposes 2.3 Billion Investment for Next Gen. Critical Communications Network

Source: The Critical Communications Review | Gert Jan Wolf editor

In the budget bill for 2025, the Swedish government proposes a total of SEK 2.3 billion during the period 2025–2027 for the establishment of Rakel generation 2.

In the budget bill for 2025, the Swedish government proposes a total of SEK 2.3 billion during the period 2025–2027 for the establishment of Rakel generation 2 – a modern communication system for actors in public order, security, health and total defense to be able to carry out their tasks effectively.

The current national communication system Rakel needs to be replaced in the next few years. The government therefore intends to give the Swedish Agency for Community Protection and Preparedness (MSB) the task of establishing Rakel generation 2.

In the budget bill for 2025, the government has proposed that MSB be allocated funds for this; 652 million for the year 2025, 768 million for the year 2026 and 880 million for the year 2027, a total of 2.3 billion.

There is a need for a modern system that can handle both voice calls and large amounts of data in real time. Now the government enables the establishment of Rakel generation 2 through this essential investment

says Minister for Civil Defense Carl-Oskar Bohlin.

In order to get an expedient and as cost-effective solution as possible, existing abilities must be utilized where possible. The government therefore intends, in addition to the proposed funds, to leave a task to MSB on the importance of existing capabilities being utilized through, among other things, existing infrastructure and that the capabilities and resources of commercial actors are used through procurement.

With this announcement, all Nordic countries are moving into same direction also from  a Next Gen. Critical Communications point-of-view.

The proposal is based on an agreement between the government and the Swedish Democrats.

Sofia Enlund, MSB Head of Development and Project Management on Social Media said:

Nice press release from the government this Friday! Important and long-awaited news for our user organizations, the entire emergency response sector and civil defense! Humble about this big assignment - but with the best team, anything is possible!