About our History
More than 155 years of accumulated experience within telecommunications, coupled with a pioneering spirit and a quest for knowledge and development – are what have brought Telenor to where it is today. Telenor Group has mobile operations in 11 markets around the world and in additionally 20 markets through our 31,67 per cent ownership in VimpelCom Ltd. Go ahead and explore our history – in text, film and pictures.
View the Telenor History
Duration: 5:01
1999
Telenor acquires part of VimpelCom in Moscow.
Photo: Franz-Marc Frei/ Corbis/SCANPIX
- Norway and Sweden intervene in the proposed merger of Telenor and Telia.
- Telenor acquires a 33% holding in DiGi, Malaysia and thus expands its operations to Southeast Asia.
- Telenor acquires part of VimpelCom in Moscow.
- Mobile service WAP is introduced.
1998
Thor III is launched in 1998.
Photo: Norwegian Telecom Museum
- Telenor and partners open mobile networks in Greece and Austria.
- Telenor launches the first of its IP telephony products.
- The last part of the monopoly on telecommunications ends: the Norwegian telecommunications market is opened up to full competition.
- THOR III successfully launched to match peak analogue demand and as an experimental platform for business development.
1997
Telenor invests in Grameenphone and the mobile network in Dhaka, Bangladesh opens on 26 March 1997.
The satellite THOR II is launched in 1997, and digital satellite services are a success.
Photo: Norwegian Telecom Museum
- Internet accounts for about 15 per cent of the local traffic over the Norwegian telecommunications network.
- Internet: a series of new products and services is developed.
- On Bangladesh’s Independence Day, 26 March 1997, the mobile network opens in the capital, Dhaka.
- Telenor – together with partners – is awarded licences to develop the mobile networks in both Austria and Greece.
- Telenor cooperates with Canal Plus (Europe’s largest broadcasting company) in developing a digital standard for satellite broadcasting.
- Telenor enters into a consortium to build mobile networks in Ukraine and Germany.
- Telenor opens mobile networks in Ireland.
- The Norwegian telecommunications network is fully digitalised.
- THOR II is successfully launched and nearly all the transponders are sold. Digital satellite services are offered through Canal Digital.
1996
The Internet makes its real breakthrough in Norway in 1996.
Photo: Richard Morrell/Corbis/SCANPIX
- Almost 1.2 million Nordic households have DTH antennas (dish receivers).
- Telenor builds a new, high capacity infrastructure for the Internet in Norway. The investment amounts to more than NOK 100 million (USD 1,913 million) and provides a network with a capacity for more than 400 000 users.
- Telenor consolidates its position in TV distribution and becomes the market leader in satellite-based broadcasting in the Nordic region.
- Telenor invests in joint ventures in Ireland, Austria, Russia, Hungary, Lithuania, Montenegro and Bangladesh.
- Telenor is awarded a licence to develop GSM networks in Bangladesh and in Montenegro.
- Telenor leases more capacity at the 1º West position on Intelsat 707, expanding power and coverage of Europe.
- The Internet makes its real breakthrough in the Norwegian market.
1995
Televerket becomes Telenor in 1995.
Photo: Scanpix
- Northwest GSM, in which Telenor has a 13 per cent ownership share, officially opens in St.Petersburg, Russia.
- Norwegian Telecommunications changes its name to Telenor.
- SMS (Short Message Service) from mobile phone to mobile phone is enabled.
- Telenor offers a comprehensive infrastructure for linking up to the Internet.
- Telenor orders THOR II and introduces the first digital programming at 1º West.
- Telenor signs a contract for the development of satellite networks in the Czech Republic.