Telenor hangs up on the analogue NMT-900 mobile network

The NMT-900 network was established in 1986 to relieve pressure on the existing NMT-450 network. NMT (Nordic Mobile Telephony) was a pioneer cellular network, developed and operated as a result of a close Nordic co-operation and Nordic roaming agreements. The rise in popularity of the NTM-900 was so sharp that network deployment often could not cope with the demand. This early development of mobile cellular services in Norway and the Nordic countries explains why the penetration of mobile phone subscribers in the region is the highest anywhere in the world.

At its peak, NMT-900 had 300,000 subscribers in Norway. This number has today fallen to 56,000 and is decreasing by 1,000 subscribers each week.

Telia of Sweden and Sonera of Finland are closing their NMT-900 networks by the end of this year, and roaming agreements will end as of 13 November. That means Telenor subscribers will not be able to use their NMT-900 phones in these two countries after 13 November this year. Similarly, Telenor will also close roaming agreements for Swedish and Finnish subscribers from the same date.

After November 13, Denmark will be the only country with a roaming agreement still in place. No end date for the Danish NMT network has yet been set. Therefore, roaming may take place in Denmark for Norwegian NMT subscribers until the Norwegian network closes. Telenor also had roaming agreements with Holland and Switzerland before the NMT networks in these countries closed.

Despite the fact that the NMT-900 license will not expire until the end of 2001, the NMT-900 network can be closed, as the Norwegian GSM network now covers 96.5 per cent of the population. This is a higher rate of coverage than was ever achieved with the NMT-900 system. Norwegian authorities have fully accepted the decision. No new NMT-900 subscriptions have been sold after 1 December 1999. Existing subscribers will either be compensated financially or offered reasonably priced GSM subscriptions when the analogue 900 network closes.

However, the NMT-450 system will remain in operation. No other system can offer as wide a range and coverage as the NMT-450 in mountainous and sparsely populated areas. The system has today 120,000 subscribers.