Telenor predicts its guest income from Ice will match last year’s figures despite a planned merger of mobile network radio segments between Telia and Ice. The companies announced in January that they would combine their radio access networks to improve efficiency. The deal does not involve Telenor’s own infrastructure but will affect how roaming traffic is managed across the Norwegian market.
The Norwegian telecom regulator has approved the merger, which aims to reduce costs for both Telia and Ice. Telenor, which operates its own nationwide network, will continue to provide roaming services to customers of the merged entity. Analysts say this arrangement could benefit Telenor financially, as roaming agreements often generate steady revenue without major capital investment.
A Telenor spokesperson confirmed the company expects no significant drop in roaming income from Ice this year. The merger is expected to be finalized by mid-2024, with roaming agreements remaining unchanged until then. Industry observers note that Telenor’s position as a third major operator in Norway gives it leverage in negotiating terms.
The move comes as Norway’s telecom sector consolidates, with smaller players increasingly relying on roaming deals. Telenor has previously highlighted roaming as a stable income source, especially as competition intensifies. The company’s latest financial report showed roaming contributed about 5% of total revenue in 2023.
While the merger reduces the number of independent networks, Telenor’s roaming contracts with Telia and Ice remain intact. The company has not disclosed specific revenue figures but stated the impact would be neutral for 2024.
Source: digi.no