IKEA Sweden will soon offer improved mobile coverage with both 4G and 5G in all department stores. Together with Telenor, IKEA will introduce a new mobile network that will be available regardless of which mobile operator you have.
The new mobile network will be in place in all 20 department stores in time for the holidays. However, IKEA Västerås will be the first to have the new network ready already in mid-April.
Many of IKEA’s customers begin their shopping experiences at home on the sofa with the help of IKEA’s various apps. With improved coverage and capacity in the department stores, the digital plans can easily transition to physical visits with continued use of the digital tools.
– This is an important step on our journey towards meeting the needs of customers when they visit one of our department stores, for example to be able to use various digital services such as self-scanning. In addition, we are future-proofing by offering 5G already now. We are happy to do this together with our service partner Telenor, says Fredrik Dahlqvist, Country Service Operations Manager at IKEA Sweden.
The mobile network is purchased as a service by Telenor, but it will be available to all customers and employees, regardless of which operator the mobile subscription is signed with.
The network will have capacity for 4G and 5G from the start and be independent of operator.
– We deliver both the infrastructure, i.e. the network itself, and take care of its maintenance so that IKEA can devote itself to its core business. We also coordinate with other mobile operators. With good mobile coverage, the digital shopping experience in IKEA’s physical department store can be seamless, visits can be better planned and flows in the department store can be smoother, says Jessica Levin, sales manager at Telenor.
The technical solution is a mobile indoor network, a so-called DAS network.
This initiative from IKEA will enable more customers to use IKEA’s digital services in the department stores, such as using augmented reality to visualize furniture in their home. The new network will also improve customers’ in-store shopping experiences by providing faster internet connectivity and better coverage.
