Sweden's public sector has ditched Big Tech in the name of privacy as major telecoms providers unveil new secure collaboration hubs.
Tele2 Collaborate is based on an existing system developed by UK encryption service provider Element and features encrypted chat, video conferencing, whiteboarding and document sharing capabilities.
The “first of its kind” system will see all data managed and stored in Sweden by Swedish suppliers. It is designed to replace existing tools for organizations that process the public's most personal and sensitive information.
Tele2 collaboration
“We are closely monitoring developments and adapting our products to the demands of each market segment. We clearly demonstrated the need for a collaboration solution: data,” said Stefan Trampas, executive vice president of B2B at Tele2.
The eSAM initiative, a collaboration between the Swedish Tax Agency, the Swedish Social Insurance Agency, the Swedish Transport Agency, and several other organizations, started out as a way to find an alternative to Skype for Business (support for which is scheduled to end in 2016). . October 2025).
Another study by Forrester Consulting (commissioned by Element) also highlights this need. The findings here show that IT leaders are increasingly seeking more secure and flexible solutions, with end-to-end encryption (E2E) and digital sovereignty top of mind.
Did you know that?
Encryption refers to the process of scrambling data into an indecipherable format to prevent unauthorized access. End-to-end encryption (E2E) means that data is encrypted on the sender's device and decrypted only when it reaches the intended recipient.
Other security software, such as popular encrypted messaging apps and VPN services, use E2E to secure all communications. However, these services are not designed to provide digital sovereignty to organizations.
Digital sovereignty refers to the actual ownership of data. For example, if I send a message in an encrypted app, that process is beyond my control, so I have to trust the tech company to handle that data correctly.
“Governments just don't want their data on the platform. some vendorMatthew Hodgson, CEO and co-founder of Element, told me. “On a day-to-day level, this means end-user organizations are no longer beholden to large technology companies and are not locked into their own platforms.”
That's where Tele2's new collaboration hub comes in. Tele2 Collaborate complements the Swedish public sector's existing products and services, enabling them to manage secure messaging and collaboration, he explained. This is a unique solution that provides a single solution to the secure communications product portfolio and is “unlike anything that has been done before,” Hodgson said.
We are delighted that @Tele2sweden has chosen Element as an integral part of its new Tele2 Collaborate (Tele2 Samarbete) service, providing digitally sovereign secure communications for the Swedish public sector. https://t.co/ZryBu8Yvbm pic.twitter.com/eXpbzIwXJQApril 8, 2024
Tele2 chose to build a new collaboration hub using Element Server Suite (ESS). It is a digital infrastructure based on Matrix, an open-source protocol for decentralized and secure communications, designed for enterprises and large-scale deployments.
“Through Tele2 Collaborate, Element will be available as both an on-premises and managed hosting service,” said Amandine Le Pape, co-founder and chief operating officer of Element.
Tele2 also partnered with Swedish collaborative software company NUITEQ to enable seamless integration of digital whiteboards.
Swedish public sector companies can now use Tele2 Collaborate to protect their communications and citizens' data, including direct messages, video conferencing, and documents created and shared on the cloud. Other European countries may follow Sweden's lead and move away from large networks. technology.
For example, Germany is also working with Element to build an open-source solution for digital sovereignty called Open-Desk. Hodgson believes Sweden's example could help accelerate the process across the continent.
he said to me: “Seeing a mainstream telco like Tele2 launch a truly secure decentralized communications solution is a huge step forward in educating mainstream telcos about the importance of digital sovereignty.”
