OSLO, Norway, April 24, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Telenor Mobil's (Nasdaq:TELN) (Other OTC:TELNF) price structure will be far simpler from June 16 this year. Simultaneously, prices on both calls and text messages will be reduced by a total of approximately NOK 300 million. Text messages will cost from NOK 0.69. Fewer subscription plans and equal prices day and night makes it easier and cheaper to be a Telenor Mobil customer. Norwegian mass market customers can now easily decide which subscription is best suited their usage. Primaer and Privat are suitable for respectively high and low usage. For those who are unsure as to their volume of actual usage, and for those whose usage varies, Skala is the best alternative.
The youth subscription OYO is distinguished by lower text message prices, while OYO Regning now also includes 100 free text messages per month.
Simpler and cheaper
"We are confident our customers will appreciate simpler and lower prices. Norwegian mobile users are increasingly placing higher demands on price and quality. Telenor Mobil holds a strong market position today, and we intend to keep this position," said Managing Director Ingvild Myhre, Telenor Mobil.
Equal prices
The price reductions will be effective from June 16. The new price structure implies equal prices day and night, every day. All calls from Telenor Mobil customers, except OYO subscribers, will be the same price regardless of which network the receiver belongs to. The only exception is an additional charge on calls to the other Norwegian mobile network operator, NetCom, due to the fact that Netcom demands a higher fee for terminating calls from Telenor Mobil customers. This will also apply for rival networks in the future, if they choose to demand a similarly high price for terminating calls. Telenor Mobil promises to reduce the charge on calls to NetCom accordingly if NetCom reduces the termination fee.
Separate prices will still apply for calls to special numbers and abroad.
The new prices are:
Subscription NOK per minute SMS NOK per month
Privat 1.99(a) 0.89 49
Primaer 0.89(a) 0.69 149
Skala 1.79-1.49-0.89(a)* 0.89-0.79-0.69* 79
RingKontant 2.99 1 0
Bedrift(b) 0.69 0.65 135
OYO Regning 1.99 / 3.99(c) 0.79(d) 79
OYO Kontant 1.99 / 3.99(c) 0.89 0
(a) In addition: NOK 0.75 per minute to mobile phones within NetCom
(b) In addition: NOK 0.60 per minute to mobile phones within NetCom.
Bedrift prices are excl. VAT.
(c) To fixed network
(d) The first 100 text messages per month are free of charge * Prices
for 0-60 minutes/SMS, 60-120 minutes/SMS and above
120 minutes/SMS per month