Telia Company
A Swedish telecommunications group serving consumers and businesses across the Nordic and Baltic regions.
Last updated October 16, 2026
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Overview
Telia Company is a Swedish telecommunications group headquartered in Solna. Its principal activities are mobile communications, fixed broadband, voice, television, data connectivity, digital infrastructure and enterprise technology services in Sweden, Finland, Norway, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The group is one of the largest communications operators in the Nordic and Baltic markets, although its competitive position varies by country: it is a leading operator in Sweden, Estonia and Lithuania and a major challenger or second-ranked operator in Finland and Norway. The modern company was created in 2002 through the merger of Sweden's Telia and Finland's Sonera. Both predecessors emerged from state-controlled telecommunications systems, but their institutional histories were different. Sweden's telephone business developed from the Royal Telegraph Agency and later Televerket, which operated a de facto national monopoly. Finland's telecommunications system was administered through state agencies and telephone cooperatives, with Telecom Finland becoming Sonera in 1998. The merger created TeliaSonera and combined two established national operators with international ambitions. Telia's transformation included corporatisation, market liberalisation, technological change and a public listing. Telia AB was formed in 1993 after the operational functions of Televerket were separated from regulation and broadcasting. Almost one-third of Telia's shares were introduced on the Stockholm Stock Exchange in 2000. The company subsequently expanded through acquisitions and minority investments in several emerging and adjacent markets, but later withdrew from many of those markets as regulatory, financial and governance risks increased. The group has historically offered mobile voice and data, fixed-line telephony, broadband, pay television, enterprise connectivity, network services and data-centre or infrastructure products. In Sweden its consumer portfolio has included Telia, Halebop and Fello, while business activities have included Cygate and Skanova-related access services. In Finland, the former Sonera and Tele Finland businesses were brought under the Telia name in 2017. The company has also operated television assets including TV4 in Sweden, MTV in Finland and C More through its acquisition of Bonnier Broadcasting. Governance and portfolio management have been central themes in Telia's recent history. The company changed its name from TeliaSonera to Telia Company in 2016 after corruption and money-laundering allegations connected with Central Asian and Caucasus investments damaged its reputation. It later sold or exited a number of non-core holdings, including stakes in MegaFon, Ncell, Moldcell, Azercell, Kcell and Turkcell-related assets. It also sold Telia Carrier's international backbone business to Polhem Infra in 2021. Danish operations were sold to Norlys in 2024. In 2025 Telia announced an agreement to sell its media division to Schibsted Media, subject to regulatory approval, reflecting a stated focus on its core consumer and telecommunications businesses. The Swedish state remains a significant shareholder, while the company is publicly traded in Stockholm and Helsinki. Telia's business is shaped by spectrum regulation, infrastructure investment, intense price competition, cybersecurity requirements, media regulation and the continuing migration from legacy voice and fixed networks toward high-speed mobile, fibre and digital services.
History
Telia Company's history combines the development of Swedish and Finnish public telecommunications with the liberalisation of European communications markets. In Sweden, the Royal Telegraph Agency was established in 1853 and later evolved into Televerket. The state organisation built and controlled long-distance networks and gradually absorbed or subordinated many local systems. In 1992, regulatory responsibilities were separated into the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority, while the operating business became Telia AB in 1993. Telia was an early mobile-network operator. It participated in the development and operation of NMT analogue mobile technology in the 1980s and later GSM networks. Liberalisation introduced competitors, including Tele2, and the growth of the internet expanded the market beyond traditional voice services. Telia was listed in Stockholm in 2000. An attempted combination with Norway's Telenor failed before the eventual Telia-Sonera merger. Sonera's roots lay in Finland's state telecommunications administration. Suomen Lennätinlaitos was founded in 1917 and was later combined with the postal administration. Telecom Finland was separated as a company in 1994 and adopted the Sonera name in 1998. Sonera developed mobile internet services and expanded internationally before merging with Telia in 2002. The combined company initially retained the Telia and Sonera brands in their respective home markets. After the merger, TeliaSonera pursued growth in the Nordic, Baltic, Eurasian and other emerging markets. It acquired or invested in operators including NetCom in Norway, which became Telia Norge, and developed substantial positions in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The group also held interests in markets such as Kazakhstan, Nepal, Russia, Spain, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Cambodia, Afghanistan and Turkey. Several of these investments later became associated with financial write-downs, political risk or corruption allegations. The most serious governance crisis concerned transactions associated with Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan. Authorities and investigators examined whether payments routed through intermediaries benefited politically connected parties in exchange for telecommunications access. The controversy led to criminal and regulatory proceedings, management changes, settlements and a strategic reassessment. TeliaSonera changed its name to Telia Company in 2016 as part of a broader attempt to separate the current business from the damaged legacy and reinforce compliance and responsible-business controls. The group continued to consolidate its core Nordic and Baltic position. Finland's Sonera and Tele Finland brands were rebranded as Telia in 2017. Telia combined or reorganised operations in Lithuania and expanded its Norwegian fixed and broadband position through the acquisition of Get and TDC Norway in 2018. It acquired Bonnier Broadcasting in 2019, bringing major Nordic television assets into the group, but subsequently moved toward divestment of media and infrastructure assets. Telia Carrier was sold in 2021, Danish operations were sold to Norlys in 2024, and the media division sale announced in 2025 represented another step toward a more focused telecommunications portfolio. Today, Telia Company remains a publicly listed operator with the Swedish state as a major shareholder. Its principal competitive assets are national mobile networks, fixed and fibre access, established consumer brands, enterprise relationships and regional scale. Its strategic environment includes 4G and 5G deployment, fibre investment, convergence between connectivity and content, regulatory scrutiny and the need to maintain trust after its earlier international compliance failures.
- 2025
Media division sale announced
[1]Telia announced a proposed sale of its media division to Schibsted Media, subject to approval.
- 2024
Danish operations sold to Norlys
[1]Telia sold its Danish operations and network assets to Norlys.
- 2021
Telia Carrier divested
[1]The international backbone business was sold to Polhem Infra.
- 2019
Bonnier Broadcasting acquisition completed
[1]Telia completed the acquisition of Bonnier Broadcasting after obtaining European regulatory clearance with conditions.
- 2017
Sonera brands rebranded to Telia
[1]Telia unified its principal consumer branding in Finland under the Telia name.
- 2016
Rebranding as Telia Company
[1]The company removed Sonera from its corporate name during a strategic and reputational reset.
- 2002
TeliaSonera merger
[1]Telia and Sonera merged to create the combined Nordic telecommunications group.
- 2000
Telia listed in Stockholm
[1]Telia introduced a substantial portion of its shares on the Stockholm Stock Exchange.
- 1993
Telia AB formed
[1]The operating telecommunications business was separated from Sweden's regulatory and broadcasting functions and incorporated as Telia AB.
- 1917
Finnish telecommunications predecessor founded
[1]Suomen Lennätinlaitos was established, forming part of the institutional history that later led to Sonera.
Products and positioning
A leading Nordic and Baltic connectivity provider combining mobile, broadband, television and enterprise technology services.
Mobile telecommunications
Telia mobile
Telia's mobile businesses provide voice, messaging and mobile data services over national cellular networks. The offering covers consumer and business subscribers and has evolved from early NMT and GSM services through 4G and 5G connectivity. Telia operates under the Telia brand in its principal Nordic and Baltic markets, with market position differing by country.
Fixed broadband
Telia broadband
Telia broadband services provide household and business internet access through fibre, cable, fixed wireless and other access technologies, depending on the market. The product is commonly bundled with mobile, television and voice services and is part of Telia's core fixed-connectivity business.
Television and media
Telia TV
Telia's television activities have included pay-TV distribution, premium channels and associated digital content services. The group expanded this area through Bonnier Broadcasting, which included TV4, MTV and C More, although Telia announced a planned media divestment in 2025.
Enterprise technology services
Cygate
Cygate is an enterprise-oriented brand associated with managed IT, connectivity, security and communications services. It supports business and public-sector customers alongside Telia's network and digital-infrastructure capabilities.
Controversies
2016
Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan corruption controversy
TeliaSonera was investigated over alleged bribery and money laundering connected with telecommunications investments and politically connected intermediaries in Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan. The controversy generated substantial legal, regulatory and reputational consequences and contributed to the 2016 corporate rebranding as Telia Company.
Brand decisions
2025
Proposed media division saleStrategyBackground
Telia stated that it intended to focus more closely on its consumer and telecommunications activities.
Action taken
The company agreed to sell its media division to Schibsted Media, subject to regulatory approval.
Aftermath
Completion was scheduled for the third quarter of 2025, pending approval.
2021
Sell Telia CarrierM&ABackground
Telia reviewed non-core infrastructure assets and sought to focus its portfolio.
Action taken
Telia sold its international backbone unit to Polhem Infra.
Aftermath
The transaction reduced exposure to the global backbone business and supported portfolio simplification.
2019
Acquire Bonnier BroadcastingM&ABackground
Telia pursued vertical expansion into Nordic television and premium content.
Action taken
The company acquired Bonnier Broadcasting, including TV4, MTV and C More, after regulatory review.
Aftermath
Telia became a significant Nordic media owner before later announcing plans to sell the media division.
Purchase price. SEK 9.2 billion (announced 2018; completed 2019)
2016
Adopt the Telia Company nameStrategyBackground
The group faced reputational damage from corruption and money-laundering allegations and sought a clearer strategic identity.
Action taken
TeliaSonera changed its corporate name to Telia Company.
Aftermath
The company continued to use Telia as its principal operating brand while simplifying its corporate identity.
2002
Merge Telia with SoneraM&ABackground
The two national telecommunications groups sought greater Nordic scale after market liberalisation and Telia's unsuccessful combination attempt with Telenor.
Action taken
Telia and Sonera combined to form TeliaSonera.
Aftermath
The merger created the corporate foundation of today's Telia Company and supported subsequent Nordic, Baltic and international expansion.
Recent events
- Unconfirmed
Telia agrees to sell Telia Latvija to Tet[3]
Reported:
Telia Company entered into an agreement to sell its ownership in Telia Latvija to Tet SIA for €10.75 million. The deal was expected to close during the second quarter of 2022.
Telia announces staff cuts[4]
Reported:
The article reports that Telia was among the companies in Norway that had recently announced staff cuts; it gives no further details.
Telia announces plan to cut about 900 jobs to save 1 billion SEK annually[5]
Reported:
Swedish telecom group Telia announced on 12 October 2026 a plan to cut about 900 positions, roughly 6% of its workforce of about 14,100, covering full-time employees and external resource consultants, aiming for annual savings of 1 billion Swedish kronor (about RM408 million) including cuts to the operating cost base. The plan, subject to routine union consultation, is expected to be completed by 31 December. Telia expects about 600 million SEK in restructuring costs in Q4 2026, with cash impact mainly in 2027, and a net positive free-cash-flow effect from 2028. Finland faces the largest cut (280 of ~2,450 positions), followed by Sweden (260 of ~6,000), Norway (150 of ~1,800), Lithuania (110 of ~2,350) and Estonia (100 of ~1,400). Telia also proposed relocating about 220 positions from its public technology department to country business units. CEO Patrik Hofbauer said the plan aims to give country units greater autonomy and strengthen Telia's competitive advantage.
Tet to acquire Telia’s Latvian B2B operation[6]
Reported:
Tet announced that it is acquiring 100% of Telia’s local B2B unit Telia Latvija for EUR 10.75 million. The deal is subject to regulatory clearances and is expected to close in Q2 2022.
SlashNext raises $26 million in Series B funding[7]
Reported:
SlashNext announced that it raised $26 million in Series B venture capital funding, bringing its total funding to $43 million.
Ice and Telia national roaming agreement takes effect[8]
Reported:
A new national roaming agreement between Ice and Telia took effect on January 1, 2021. Ice said the agreement was expected to help lower costs.
- Unconfirmed
European Commission approves Telia’s Bonnier acquisition[9]
The European Commission approved Telia’s acquisition of Bonnier; the article says completion was expected on December 2.
Telia and CapMan Infra agree to accelerate fibre rollout in Finland[10]
Reported:
Telia Company and CapMan Infra agreed to accelerate investment in passive fibre across Finland. A new company is to take over Telia Finland’s existing Avoin Kuitu single-dwelling-unit fibre rollout business, with Telia to hold a 40% stake. Completion was subject to relevant-authority approval and expected in the first quarter of 2020.
Sources10 sources
- 1Telia Companyen.wikipedia.org
- 2Telia Company corporate websiteteliacompany.com
- 3Telia同意将Telia Latvija出售给Tetdatacenterdynamics.com
- 4Telia宣布裁员thelocal.no
- 5特利亚宣布拟裁减约900个职位以实现每年节省10亿瑞典克朗orientaldaily.com.my
- 6Tet宣布收购Telia在拉脱维亚的B2B业务developingtelecoms.com
- 7SlashNext 完成 2600 万美元 B 轮融资prnewswire.com
- 8Ice 与 Telia 的全国漫游协议生效lightreading.com
- 9欧盟委员会批准Telia收购Bonnierc21media.net
- 10Telia与CapMan Infra达成协议加快芬兰光纤网络部署mobileeurope.co.uk
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