The Government commissioned the National Post and Telecom Agency (PTS) to present a strategy for the telecommunications-sector to reduce consequences for society of severe peacetime emergencies and increase the preparedness to face a state of national alert and war. This report presents the results of the first phase of this work. It describes different systems for telecommunications as well as the vulnerabilities and threats affecting these systems. Examåples of consequences for society caused by loss of telecommunications are also given. In the report it is concluded that: Organisations depending on electronic communication must take precaution to ensure the security of their own communications. There is a high degree of sensitivity to simultaneous disturbances. The physical protection of central nodes in the telecommunication systems is good. In some places and for cables of the network backbone the physical protection is less developed. There are many operators and alternative forms of electronic communication which gives increased security. An insider could cause considerable damage. Mutual dependencies between power supply and telecommunications are evident risk-factors. Computer network attacks have added a new dimension to the issue of vulnerability.