Interview with Mikael Jeppling, Head of Pricing at Telia, which is a Principal Partner to Bünsow Business Growth Forum.
You have chosen to become a Principal Partner to Bünsow Business Growth Forum. What made you want to be part of the forum?
– Sundsvall and northern Sweden are important to Telia in many ways. We have a strong presence with many employees in cities such as Sundsvall, Umeå and Luleå. Our system integrator Telia Cygate is located in even more locations. We also have many customers in the area – both private customers and corporate customers in the business and public sectors. For us, Bünsow is an attractive partner that also wants to drive development forward in Norrland. Bünsow is an arena where we can meet entrepreneurs, the public sector and politicians to discuss the region’s needs and future development.
Northern Sweden is in the midst of a green transition with reindustrialisation and growth. How does Telia view its role in building the necessary digital infrastructure?
– What is happening in northern Sweden is extremely exciting! It has truly become a hub for many exciting industrial initiatives – which play a crucial role in society’s sustainable transition. Given the geopolitical situation, the region is also important from a total defence perspective. The common thread is the need to be able to utilise new technology in order to succeed. This requires robust and secure digital infrastructure – and, as you say, Telia plays a key role in this.
We are now entering the final stages of modernising our mobile network and expanding 5G. When we are done, we will cover approximately 94% of Sweden’s surface area – which is an improvement, especially in northern Sweden, where we have built many new mobile masts. In parallel with this, we are running our 5G innovation programme NorthStar – to help companies and public sector organisations really reap the benefits of the new technology, with several projects in northern Sweden.
If we say Telia + Northern Sweden, what do you want the outside world to associate you with?
– We want to be an attractive employer and the obvious partner for digital infrastructure – from connectivity and communication to superior AI, which we deliver safely and securely in Sweden. That is also the message we are taking with us to Bünsow.
What are you most looking forward to during this year’s Bünsow week?
– The whole week feels so exciting. Gaining lots of wise insights from speakers on stage. Meeting exciting people – who provide new perspectives and angles and perhaps challenge ingrained ways of thinking. Of course, I also hope that our role as Principal Partner will develop well and that we will succeed in identifying new business opportunities.