Robust region
As part of this project, which is funded by the European Regional Development Fund, we will, over a two-year period, explore the possibility of establishing local island operation of the internet to enhance the region’s digital preparedness. We aim to ensure that critical digital communication can function even if the internet connection is disrupted.
We live in a digitalized society, which makes us vulnerable to cyber incidents. If the connection to Stockholm is disrupted due to cyberattacks, physical sabotage, or any other type of incident, we would be left without internet. This would have serious consequences for many critical societal functions—not least for municipalities and government agencies’ ability to communicate important information to the public.
The work within the project is anchored in Karlstad Municipality’s efforts to establish so-called security points. It is based on a government inquiry (SOU 2024:65 Municipalities’ and Regions’ Basic Preparedness for Crisis and War), which, among other things, proposes a statutory obligation for municipalities to make electronic communications available at these security points in the event of a crisis or elevated state of preparedness. This need must be addressed from the perspective of lacking internet connectivity.
During the project period, our goals include:
- Establishing a test environment
- Enabling at least one service to operate in isolated (island) mode
- Building knowledge about island networks as a function
- Sharing insights with other regions
Although the project has a regional focus, the aim is to maintain transparency so that the benefits are not only felt in Värmland but can also be applied by other regions in Sweden and across the EU.
The project group consists of Karlstad University, Compare, Karlstad Municipality, Karlstad Energy, RISE, Netnod, MittNät, the Swedish Local Fibre Network Association, NWT Group and Coop Värmland.