Wedoany.com Report on Feb 6th, Norwegian telecom operators Telia Norway and ice have reached an agreement to merge their mobile radio access networks (RAN) in Norway through a joint venture. The new network is expected to be operational by the second quarter of 2026, aiming to enhance network coverage and achieve cost synergies.
According to the agreement, the two parties will establish a new entity with 50% ownership each, responsible for owning and operating the RAN assets originally belonging to Telia Norway and ice, including radio equipment and base stations. This entity will provide RAN services to both operators based on usage, while their spectrum resources will also be integrated for use by the merged network. Despite sharing RAN infrastructure, Telia Norway and ice will continue to operate independently, each retaining ownership and control of their core networks, and will maintain competitive relationships in the market.
The merged mobile radio access network is expected to significantly improve mobile coverage across Norway by 2027, with a particular focus on network enhancements in rural areas. Telia stated that this consolidation is expected to bring significant cost and capital expenditure synergies, resulting in a positive financial impact. More specific details are planned to be announced in the first half of 2026.
Bjørn Ivar Moen, Head of Telia Norway, pointed out: "The telecom industry needs to reach a certain scale to create the conditions for investing in the network coverage, capacity, and quality that customers expect. Therefore, we are very pleased to merge our mobile network with ice's network." As of the end of 2025, Telia had 1.84 million mobile subscribers in Norway.
Financially, Telia reported full-year 2025 revenue of SEK 81 billion (approximately USD 9.07 billion), flat compared to 2024; net income decreased from SEK 7.8 billion to SEK 4.3 billion. The company explained that the decline was mainly due to a SEK 3.7 billion increase in non-cash provisions related to asset retirement obligations in Sweden and Finland. Patrik Hofbauer, President and CEO of the company, stated at a recent investor conference: "In the Norwegian market, despite a decline in mobile wholesale revenue, service revenue remained largely stable. This was driven by significant improvements in mobile end-user and fixed-line revenue, primarily pushed by pricing adjustments, which led to a notable increase in core service average revenue per user."
