Right now, major changes are taking place in Swedish cities. For example, the city of Stockholm’s Climate Action Plan says that Stockholm must be completely fossil-free and climate positive by 2040. As early as 2025, petrol and diesel cars will be banned in parts of central Stockholm, which means alternative modes of mobility must fill the gap.
This is where solutions such as electric vehicles, drone deliveries, and other smart mobility services have entered the picture. They are no longer a future concept; they are a reality – and they are made possible through the use of technology.
Tele2 has long been a key player in the developing future of transport. We have a number of customers who continuously introduce new solutions and products to the market and through the use of technology such as IoT, we help our customers’ visions become reality.
Shared vision for future challenges
At the recent Stockholm Chamber of Commerce’s seminar “Urban mobility”, it was clear that we are only at the beginning of this massive mobility transition, but also that the vision is well on its way to becoming a reality.
Together with leading players such as Scania, Ports of Stockholm, VOI, Candela, Torghatten, Easypark, and a number of others, we discussed tomorrow’s urban mobility picture. There is no shortage of challenges when residents, commuters and businesses have to share a limited area, but the potential is enormous. Through strategic planning, cooperation, and a joint commitment to the transition, we can make significant progress.
We have a range of innovations at our disposal. But how can we best take advantage of all the new technology? And who will shoulder the responsibility?
Innovative technology creates new opportunities
At Tele2, accelerating sustainability through technology is one of our focus areas and we have set ourselves the goal of achieving net zero emissions in the value chain by 2035. We are doing this in a number of ways, including changing to a more circular business model. For example, from now through 2030 we will require a 30 percent return of mobile phones. We will also use innovative technology to create solutions together with customers and partners that provide customer value while also promoting sustainability.
An example of how technology can enable sustainable urban development is Tele2’s collaboration with Norwegian company Zeabuz and their partner Torghatten. Together, they leveraged 5G and IoT to launch the world’s first electric autonomous public ferry in Stockholm, Sweden in the spring of 2023.
This collaboration represents a new era for how people can transport in a way that we have never seen before in Sweden. I am convinced that we will see more areas of use in other industries as well.
Customer vision realized through technology
EV (Electric Vehicle) charging infrastructure is also crucial when it comes to urban mobility. Last year, 11,000 new charging points were installed in Sweden, something that has been crucial not only for the more than 500,000 electric cars on Swedish roads, but also for the increasing number of electric buses and trucks we see in operation across the country.
One example of how we at Tele2 are a key part of this infrastructure is Vattenfall connecting all their European charging stations (which provide 100 percent fossil-free electricity) with Tele2 IoT’s seamless global connectivity. Tele2 IoT’s cellular connectivity allows Vattenfall to monitor the charging stations remotely.
At Tele2, we work closely with our customers and find ways to realize their vision in order to meet both their business needs and their customers’ needs. I strongly believe that corporate goals and sustainability goals should go hand in hand. Only then can companies and organizations significantly contribute to a sustainable transition.
In our latest sustainability report, it is estimated that our customers, through the use of Tele2’s products and services, have avoided over 800,000 tons of emissions. This corresponds to more than 300 percent of our total greenhouse gas emissions in the value chain. Tele2 has been ranked number two among 500 European companies in the Financial Times’ latest 2024 evaluation of Europe’s climate leaders.
Telecoms and IoT are important enablers in the sustainable transition, regardless of whether it is electric ferries, drone deliveries, or sustainable forest harvesting.
We are committed to contributing towards better sustainability and supporting our customers and partners in their journey.
I am really looking forward to driving sustainability together and finding new use cases.
Stefan Trampus
Executive Vice President B2B
Tele2