Televerket was a Swedish State authority acting as a state-owned corporation (public enterprise), responsible for telecommunications in Sweden from 1853 until 1993. Originally it was named '''Kongl. Elektriska Telegraf-Werket''' (literally: Royal Electric Telegraph Agency), which was founded in 1853. Its name changed to '''Kongl. Telegrafverket in 1871, Kungl. Telegrafverket in 1903, the prefix Kungl. (an abbreviation of "Kunglig", "Kungliga"; ) was dropped in 1946 and the name was further modernised to Televerket''' in 1953. Televerket continued on with its telecommunications monopoly until corporatisation in 1993, when it was renamed Telia, now part of Telia Company.
History
19th Century
Kongliga Elektriska Telegraf-Werket was founded in 1853 when the first electric telegraph line was established between Stockholm and Uppsala, and was the government agency for telegraph services. From 1871 the company was known as '''Kongl. Telegrafverket'''. The first telephone network in Sweden opened in 1880, as a result of an initiative by former Telegrafverket employees.[1] As telecommunication technology changed, Telegrafverket expanded to include telephone services, but entered the early telephone industry in Sweden as a latecomer. Through securing a national monopoly on long-distance telephone lines, it was able with time to control and take over the local networks of quickly growing private telephone companies. Its network, branded Rikstelefon, was supplied with telephones produced by Swedish telephone manufacturers Ericsson.[2]
20th Century
While the telecommunications industry in Sweden has always been ostensibly open, Telegrafverket effectively monopolised the market with its purchase of the telephone company Stockholms Allmänna in 1918.
Televerket in the 21st Century
Telegrafverket and Televerket telephones remain highly collectible, and there is now a market for reconditioned phones that can connect to modern networks. Telia has since merged with the Finnish Sonera, and is now known as Telia Company.
Some Standard Televerket Phones
Company Director Generals
- Carl Akrell, 1853–1862
- Pehr Brändström, 1862–1874
- Daniel Nordlander, 1874–1890
- Erik Storckenfeldt, 1890–1902
- Mauritz Sahlin, 1902–1904
- Arvid Lindman, 1904–1907
- Herman Rydin, 1907–1927
- Adolf Hamilton, 1928–1938
- Helge Ericson, 1939–1942
- Håkan Sterky, 1942–1965
- Bertil Bjurel, 1966–1977
- Tony Hagström, 1977–1993
See also
- Stoppa sabbet
- History of the Internet in Sweden
- Swedish telephone plugs & sockets
External links
- Telia
- TeliaSonera
- The Swedish Televerket's logotype (quite large file-size)
References
- Tahvanainen, K.H. Sweden's First Telephone Company Centre for Business History, Stockholm and Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson, retrieved 2017-02-22^
- Paul. Ericsson Rikstelefon Eiffel Tower Telephone Sidey Angus Graphics, 2002, retrieved 2008-07-29^
- Loos, R. Swedish Telecom: Information and Much More from Answers.com