Telenor opens first commercial 5G network in Norway

(Trondheim, 13 March 2020) Telenor today opens 5G in nine locations in Norway, starting with Trondheim as the first major city in the country equipped with the mobile network of the future. This makes Telenor the first mobile operator in Norway to offer 5G to customers.

Telenor had originally planned an opening event in Trondheim, where residents now will receive 5G. In order to follow the health authorities' recommendations to limit the risk of corona infection, this event has been cancelled. The 5G network was instead opened via a video conference, which emphasizes the need for a strong and robust network.

“This is a day we have been looking forward to for a long time. We launched our first 5G-pilot as early as in 2018, and since then we have been experimenting and exploring, trying to learn as much as we possibly can. Today, we are not only opening our 5G network in Trondheim, we are also opening the very first commercial 5G network in Norway. The mobile network of the future is finally here,” says Petter-Børre Furberg, CEO of Telenor Norway.

Today, Telenor will also open 5G in several other locations in Norway.

“We are making 5G commercially available in all locations where we, until now, have been running tests. As of today, Telenor customers with a 5G device will be able to connect to the mobile network of the future in Kongsberg, Elverum, Bodø, Askvoll, Fornebu, Kvitfjell, Longyearbyen and Spikersuppa in the Oslo city centre, in addition to Trondheim,” Furberg continues.

Linda Hofstad Helleland, Norway’s Minister of Regional Development and Digitalisation, is pleased that 5G, which is crucial for Norwegian value creation and digitisation, is now commercially available. 

“Norway has some of the world's fastest mobile networks, and with 5G they will be faster and even more reliable. Given the situation in Norway, we see how important the digital infrastructure is for those who are quarantined and have to work from home. The new 5G network will provide better mobile coverage and gradually better access to broadband across the country, which will reduce the vulnerability of an increasingly digitized society, says Helleland.

Today, Telenor opens 5G in nine locations in Norway, starting with Trondheim. Photo: Stian Kristoffer Sande

Heavy expansion in Trondheim

Trondheim is the capital of technology in Norway and home to a wide range of businesses. Here you can find creative start-ups, producers of the world’s best microchips, and laureates of the Nobel Prize in medicine.

“Trondheim is a powerhouse of technology and research, and we can trace much of the mobile technology as such back to this city. This is where the GSM standard was developed in the 1980s. With today’s milestone event we are marking the beginning of a new era. We have opened 38 5G base stations in Trondheim and expansion will continue throughout the year. This will provide a strong basis for future development of technology and innovation, and it will create a lot of excitement among users,” says Furberg.

Rita Ottervik, Mayor of Trondheim, is very pleased that Trondheim is first major 5G city in the country.

“The technology that is being developed in Trondheim helps shaping Norwegian business every single day. Now that our city has been heavily equipped with 5G, it opens up a wide range of opportunities. Our research communities, workplaces, health services and residents will now get access to a fantastic technology. Together we will make Trondheim the most technologically innovative city in Norway,” says Mayor Rita Ottervik.

You can now connect to the mobile network of the future

Now that Telenor has opened its 5G network, anyone can connect to the new mobile network. Already today, Samsung Galaxy S20, one of the very first 5G mobile phones available for sale in Norway can be purchased online or from any Telenor store.

“Consumers are looking forward to experiencing the mobile network of the future, and we are proud to contribute by offering Telenor’s customers the best devices for 5G experiences on the market. We are first in Norway with a complete lineup of 5G phones, and have already tested these in Trondheim, with fantastic results. Customers can definitely look forward to using the mobile network of the future with the Galaxy S20 series,” says Daniel Kvalheim, Technical Account Manager at Samsung Norway.

Samsung S20 is made ready for 5G, and will provide full access to Telenor's 5G network after a software update in April. Other models available in Norway that also support 5G include the Huawei Mate 20X.

Speedtest from Trondheim:

Ambitious plans for 2020

For the past two years, Telenor has focused on learning as much as possible about the qualities of the new mobile network before making it available to the public. This to ensure that customers get optimal 5G quality. Now that the 5G network has officially opened, Telenor is emphasizing that this is just the beginning of what is yet to come.

“We have worked hard to become the first mobile operator in Norway to open the 5G network, and are now fully focused on our continued plans. During 2021, we will upgrade close to 2000 base stations, while a total of 8500 base stations will be upgraded within the next four to five years. Our ambition is to connect Oslo, Bergen, Stavanger and Sandnes, as well as a number of other selected locations, to the mobile network of the future during the year,” Furberg concludes.

Telenor's 5G plans in 2020:

• Telenor's 5G network was commercially opened on 13 March 2020
• Telenor's customers with a 5G device can now connect to the next generation mobile network in Kongsberg, Elverum, Bodø, Askvoll, Fornebu, Kvitfjell, Longyearbyen, Trondheim and Spikersuppa in Oslo. 
• Telenor will start development of 5G in Oslo, Bergen, Stavanger and Sandnes. The new mobile network will be opened in these cities during 2020.
• The 5G network in Trondheim, Kongsberg and Bodø will be expanded.

Facts about the 5G network in Trondheim:

• 38 5G base stations are opened in Trondheim. The number of base stations will expand over time.
• Telenor plans to open 139 5G base stations in Trondheim during 2020
• 90 base stations in Trondheim have been upgraded with the very latest mobile technology mobile equipment
• Telenor builds 5G in Trondheim in collaboration with Ericsson