View source for Telenor

{{Short description|Norwegian telecommunications company}}
{{other uses|Telenor (disambiguation)}}
{{Distinguish|Telnor}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Coord|59|53|59|N|10|37|46|E|display=title}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Telenor ASA
| logo = Telenor.svg
| logo_size = 230px
| type = [[Public company|Public]]; [[State-owned enterprise]]
| traded_as = {{ose|TEL}}
| key_people = {{ubl
|{{interlanguage link|Benedicte Schilbred Fasmer|no}} (President and [[chief executive office|CEO]])
|Jon Omund Revhaug ([[Chair (officer)|Chairman of the Board]])
}}
| industry = [[Telecommunications]]
| products = {{flatlist|
* [[Landline|Fixed line]] and [[mobile phone|mobile telephony]]
* [[internet]]
* [[digital television]]
* [[information technology|IT services]]
* [[IPTV]]
* [[telegraphy]]
}}
| brands = {{hlist|Telenor|Talkmore}}
| revenue = {{decrease}} {{NOK|80.5 billion|link=yes}} (2023)<ref name="AR2021">{{cite web |url=https://www.telenor.com/binaries/investors/reports-and-information/annual/annual-report-2021/Telenor%20Annual%20Report%202021.pdf |title=Annual Report 2021 |publisher=Telenor |access-date=14 May 2022 |pages=3, 74, 76}}</ref>
| operating_income = {{decrease}} {{NOK|21.5 billion}} (2021)<ref name="AR2021" />
| net_income = {{decrease}} {{NOK|4.6 billion}} (2021)<ref name="AR2021" />
| assets = {{decrease}} {{NOK|225.7 billion}} (2021)<ref name="AR2021"/>
| equity = {{decrease}} {{NOK|26.3 billion}} (2021)<ref name="AR2021" />
| owner = [[Government of Norway]] (54%)
| subsidiaries = [[#Operations|See list]]
| num_employees = 11,000 (2023)<ref name="AR2021" />
| founded = {{Start date and age|1855}}
| hq_location_city = [[Fornebu]]
| hq_location_country = Norway
| website = {{URL|https://www.telenor.com}}
}}

'''Telenor ASA''' ({{IPA|no|ˈtêːlənuːr}} or {{IPA|no|tɛləˈnuːr|}})<ref>{{Cite Kristoffersen 2000|page=20}}</ref> is a [[Norwegians|Norwegian]] majority [[State-owned enterprise|state-owned]] multinational [[telecommunications]] company headquartered in [[Fornebu]], [[Bærum]], west of [[Oslo]]. It is one of the [[List of mobile network operators|world's largest mobile telecommunications companies]] with operations worldwide, mainly focused in [[Scandinavia]] and Asia. It has extensive broadband and TV distribution operations in four [[Nordic countries]] and a 10-year-old research and business line for [[Machine to machine|machine-to-machine]] technology. Telenor owns networks in eight countries.<ref name="Global presence">[https://www.telenor.com/about-us/global-presence/ Global presence] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210202141620/https://www.telenor.com/about-us/global-presence/ |date=2021-02-02 }} - Telenor website. Retrieved October 23, 2017.</ref>

Telenor is listed on the [[Oslo Stock Exchange]] and had a market capitalization in November 2015 of {{NOK|225 billion|link=yes}}, making it the third largest company listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange after [[DNB ASA|DNB]] and [[Equinor]] (previously known as Statoil).<ref name="Shares overview Oslo Børs">{{cite web|url=https://www.oslobors.no/ob_eng/markedsaktivitet/#/list/shares/quotelist/ose/all/all/false|title=Oslo Børs All Shares|website=Oslo Bors|publisher=Oslo Børs|access-date=9 December 2016}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Telenor Fornebu.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Telenor headquarters west building, containing Telenor Group.]]
[[File:Telenor HQ 020920089742.jpg|thumb|right|Telenor headquarters east building, containing Telenor Broadcast and Telenor Norway.]]
[[File:Sigve Brekke, Uninor.jpg|thumb|CEO [[Sigve Brekke]], head of the Telenor Group (2015–2024)]]
[[File:Baksaas Fredrik Svanberg dec 2008.jpg|thumb|right|Former CEO Fredrik Baksaaas (left) with Ericsson CEO Carl-Henrik Svanberg, 2008.]]
[[File:Telenor SIM.jpg|thumb|Old style ''Telenor Mobile'' [[Subscriber Identity Module|SIM]], with the former company logo.]]
[[file:Standard Telefon og Kabel TELE 2013 03 014 05.jpg |thumb|right|[[Kjell Holler]] (right) was a Norwegian industrialist who headed Televerket, after having served as Minister of Industry of Norway.]]

===Telegraph===
Telenor was established in 1855 as a state-operated [[monopoly]] provider of [[telegraph]] services and was named '''Telegrafverket'''. The initial planning for a telegraph service in Norway was launched within the [[Royal Norwegian Navy]] in 1848. By 1852, the plans were made public and the [[Storting|Parliament of Norway]] decided to plan for the construction of a telegraph system throughout the country. Televerket began by connecting [[Oslo|Christiania]] (now Oslo) to [[Sweden]] (Norway was at that time in a [[Sweden-Norway|union with Sweden]]) as well as Christiania and [[Drammen]]. By 1857, telegraph services had reached [[Bergen]] on the west coast via [[Sørlandet]] on the south coast, and by 1871, it had reached [[Kirkenes]] on the far north coast. Cable connections were connected to [[Denmark]] in 1867 and to [[Great Britain]] in 1869. The telegraph was important for merchant marines who could now use the electric telegraph to instantly communicate between different locations, and get an advantage from better [[logistics]].<ref>[[Tore Pryser|Pryser, Tore]] (1999) ''Norsk Historie 1814-1860'', volume four of ''[[Norsk historie (Samlaget)|Norsk historie]]''. Det Norske Samlaget, Oslo {{ISBN|82-521-5184-1}}</ref>

===Telephone===
[[File:Coat of arms of the Norwegian Telegraph Administration.svg|thumb|Old logo]]
The first telephone service in Norway was established in 1878 between [[Arendal]] and [[Tvedestrand]], while the first international telephone service between Christiania and [[Stockholm]] was offered in 1893. Automation of the telephone system was started in 1920 and completed in 1985. In 1946, the first [[Telex|Telex service]] was offered. In 1976, [[satellite]] telephone connections to the Norwegian merchant navy, at the time the largest in the world, and to the [[oil platform]]s in the [[North Sea]] were established. This was the start of [[Inmarsat]] Satellite Communication which was the foundation to [[Digital data|digital]]ising the telephone network between 1980–1985.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.telenor.no/om/virksomhet/historie/kronologi/ |title=Telenor: Om Telenor > Virksomhet > Historie > Kronologi |access-date=2006-08-23 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060823193738/http://www.telenor.no/om/virksomhet/historie/kronologi/ |archive-date=2006-08-23 }}</ref>

Televerket opened its first [[Mobile radio telephone|manual mobile telephone system]] in 1966. This was replaced with the automatic [[Nordic Mobile Telephone|NMT system]] in 1981 and upgraded to the enhanced NMT-900 service in 1986. Norway was the first country to get an automatic mobile telephone system. The [[Digital data|digital]] [[Global System for Mobile Communications|GSM system]] was established in 1993. The [[3G]]/[[Global System for Mobile Communications|UMTS]] system began full operation in 2004.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.telenor.no/om/virksomhet/historie/ |title=Telenor: Om Telenor > Virksomhet > Historie |access-date=2006-08-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060819042941/http://www.telenor.no/om/virksomhet/historie/ |archive-date=2006-08-19 }}</ref>

Telenor and Huawei conducted a successful test of 5G with 70&nbsp;Gbit/s speeds in a lab environment.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://paktechinfo.com/telenor-and-huawei-conduct-successful-test-of-5g-demo-in-norway/|title=Telenor and Huawei Conduct Successful Test of 5G with 70 Gbps Speeds|date=20 November 2021|access-date=1 January 2022|archive-date=3 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170403195503/https://www.paktechinfo.com/telenor-and-huawei-conduct-successful-test-of-5g-demo-in-norway/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The [[Opera (web browser)|Opera]] [[web browser]] was created in 1994 by [[Jon Stephenson von Tetzchner]] and [[Geir Ivarsøy]] during their tenure at Telenor. [[Opera Software]] was established in 1995, where they went on to continue the development of their browser.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Opera is the oldest browser, and it is still surviving: Jon Tetzchner, founder, Opera software |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/opinion/qna/opera-is-the-oldest-browser-and-it-is-still-surviving-jon-tetzchner-founder-opera-software/articleshow/7068303.cms |date=9 December 2010 |first=Debjoy |last=Sengupta |work=[[The Economic Times]]}}</ref>

===Deregulation and internationalisation===
The corporation changed its name to '''Televerket''' in 1969. In 1994, the company, then known as Norwegian Telecom, was established as a [[Government-owned corporation|public corporation]]. The telecom sector in Norway was deregulated in stages between 1994 and 1998. An attempt to merge Telenor with its counterpart in [[Sweden]], [[Telia Company|Telia]], failed in 1999 while both still were owned by their respective governments. On 4 December 2000, the company was partially [[privatised]] and listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange and [[NASDAQ]].<ref>{{cite web | publisher=sky-brokers.com | title= Telenor: Telenor Satellite Services (TSS)| url=https://sky-brokers.com/supplier/telenor-satellite-services-tss/}}</ref> This privatisation gave the company {{NOK|15.6 billion}} in new [[Capital (economics)|capital]], with the [[Government of Norway]] owning 77.7 percent of the company. As of 2014, the Norwegian government holds 53.97 percent of the Telenor shares directly and another 4.66 percent through the [[Government Pension Fund of Norway|Government Pension Fund Norway]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.telenor.com/investors/major-shareholdings/ |title=Telenor Group &#124; Major Shareholdings |access-date=2014-11-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150912190233/http://www.telenor.com/investors/major-shareholdings/ |archive-date=2015-09-12 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In the second half of the 1990s, Telenor began mobile operations in other countries: [[Russia]] (1994), [[Bangladesh]], [[Greece]], [[Ireland]], [[Germany]] and [[Austria]] (1997), [[Ukraine]] (1998), [[Malaysia]] (1999), [[Denmark]] and [[Thailand]] (2000), [[Hungary]] (2002), [[Montenegro]] (2004), [[Pakistan]] (2004), [[Slovakia]], the [[Czech Republic]], [[Serbia]] (2006), [[Myanmar]] (2014). Operations in Greece, Ireland and Germany were sold between 1999-2000 and profits were re-invested into emerging markets. In October 2005, Telenor acquired [[Vodafone]] Sweden, changing its name to Telenor in April 2006.

[[Grameenphone]] was Telenor's first venture in the Asian telecom market and is now the largest mobile operator in [[Bangladesh]]. Telenor holds a 55.8 percent stake of the company. Grameenphone started trading its shares on the stock exchanges in [[Dhaka Stock Exchange|Dhaka]] and [[Chittagong]] on 16 November 2009. The success of Grammeenphone lead to an increased focus on Asia, with successful entries into [[Malaysia]], [[Thailand]], [[Pakistan]] and [[Myanmar]]. Telenor also entered the [[India|Indian]] market, but had to withdraw in 2017 sustaining substantial losses.

In March 2018, Telenor sold its businesses in Southeast Europe ([[Telenor (Bulgaria)|Bulgaria]], [[Telenor Hungary|Hungary]], [[Telenor Montenegro|Montenegro]] and [[Telenor Serbia|Serbia]]) to the [[PPF (company)|PPF Group]], totalling {{Euro|2.8 billion|link=yes}} in order to focus on the Nordic and Asian market.<ref name="TelenorSale">{{cite news|last1=Dagenborg|first1=Joachim|last2=Knudsen|first2=Camilla|title=Norway's Telenor exits central Europe with $3.4 billion asset sale to Czech investor PPF|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-telenor-m-a/norways-telenor-exits-central-europe-with-3-4-billion-asset-sale-to-czech-investor-ppf-idUSKBN1GX0NQ|access-date=21 March 2018|work=reuters.com|date=21 March 2018}}</ref> 
 
In 2019, Telenor bought [[DNA Oyj|DNA]], the third largest mobile operator in [[Finland]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Telenor buys majority stake in Finland's DNA for $1.7 billion |website=[[Reuters]] |date=9 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220111091636/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-telenor-m-a-dna/telenor-buys-majority-stake-in-finlands-dna-for-17-billion-idUSKCN1RL0IV |archive-date=2022-01-11 |url-status=live |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-telenor-m-a-dna/telenor-buys-majority-stake-in-finlands-dna-for-17-billion-idUSKCN1RL0IV}}</ref>

On 21 June 2021, [[Axiata]], Telenor and [[Digi Telecommunications|Digi]] agreed to a potential merger of [[Celcom]] and Digi to create a stronger telco in Malaysia, which was approved by both Celcom and Digi shareholders on 18 November 2022. This comes after advanced discussions two months earlier.<ref>{{cite web |title=Axiata, Telenor and Digi Sign Transaction Agreements for the Proposed Merger of Celcom and Digi |url=https://www.axiata.com/media/news/axiata-telenor-and-digi-sign-transaction-agreements-proposed-merger-celcom-and-digi |website=Axiata |access-date=21 June 2021 |date=21 June 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Axiata and Telenor in Advanced Discussions to Merge Celcom and Digi |url=https://www.axiata.com/media/news/axiata-and-telenor-advanced-discussions-merge-celcom-and-digi |website=Axiata |access-date=21 June 2021 |date=8 April 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Axiata, Telenor, Digi sign agreements to merge Malaysian mobile ops |url=https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2021/06/21/axiata-telenor-digi-sign-agreements-to-merge-malaysian-mobile-ops |website=The Star |access-date=21 June 2021 |date=21 June 2021}}</ref> The merged company became CelcomDigi. On completion, Axiata and Telenor held equal ownership of 33.1 percent each in the newly merged company. The merger was completed on 30 November 2022 and the company began its operations the next day.<ref>[https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2022/11/18/axiata-shareholders-approve-proposed-celcom-digi-merger Axiata shareholders approve proposed Celcom-Digi merger]</ref><ref>[https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2022/11/18/digi-gets-shareholders039-green-light-for-proposed-merger-with-celcom Digi gets shareholders' green light for proposed merger with Celcom]</ref><ref>[https://www.nst.com.my/business/2022/12/856517/axiata-telenor-complete-celcom-digi-merger Axiata, Telenor complete Celcom-Digi merger]</ref><ref>[https://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/axiata-telenor-announce-completion-celcomdigi-merger Axiata, Telenor announce completion of Celcom-Digi merger]</ref><ref>[https://finance.yahoo.com/news/axiata-telenor-announce-successful-completion-101900485.html Axiata and Telenor Announce the Successful Completion of the Celcom and Digi Merger]</ref><ref>[https://www.telenor.com/media/newsroom/announcement/historic-merger-marks-new-chapter-in-malaysias-digitalisation-journey-we-are-in-pole-position/ Historic merger marks new chapter in Malaysia’s digitalisation journey: “We are in pole position.”]</ref>

On 22 November 2021, Telenor and [[Charoen Pokphand|Charoen Pokphand Group]] officially announced they have agreed to explore a {{US$|8.6 billion|link=yes}} merger plan between Thailand's second and third largest telecom operators by subscribers, [[True Corporation]] (TRUE) and [[Total Access Communication]] (DTAC). The proposed merger was subject to regulatory approvals.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.yozzo.com/insights/a-deep-dive-into-the-true-dtac-merger-in-thailand/|title=A deep dive into the TRUE/DTAC merger in Thailand| work=Yozzo.com|access-date=2022-01-06}}</ref> The merger was acknowledged by the regulator NBTC at a meeting on 20 October 2022.<ref>[https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Telecommunication/Thai-telecoms-regulator-allows-7.3bn-True-DTAC-merger Thai telecoms regulator allows $7.3bn True-DTAC merger]</ref> The newly merged company was founded on 1 March 2023, retaining the TRUE name and was listed on the [[Stock Exchange of Thailand]] under the ticker '''TRUE''' on 3 March 2023.<ref>[https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2481210/merged-true-dtac-to-be-called-true-corp Merged True-DTAC to be called True Corp]</ref>

==Operations==
Telenor offers a full range of telecommunication services in the Nordic countries, including mobile and fixed telephony, internet access and cable TV access and content. Telenor still remains the largest telco in Norway despite competition from [[TeliaSonera|Telia]] and others.

The group is prominent in the Scandinavian broadband and TV markets, both with regard to the number of subscribers and to the extent of coverage. The TV distribution arm is called [[Allente]]. Telenor has operations in three Asian countries.

Telenor has controlling interests in mobile operators in Norway, Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Bangladesh. It has minority interests in mobile operators in Malaysia and Thailand. 

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Country
!Operator
!Native name
!Ownership stake
!2019 revenue (million NOK)
|-
| {{flag|Norway}} || Telenor Norway || Telenor || 100 percent || 28,658
|-
| {{flag|Denmark}} || [[Telenor Denmark]] || Telenor || 100 percent || 4,871
|-
| {{flag|Finland}} || [[DNA Oyj|DNA]] || DNA || 100 percent || 3,433
|-
| {{flag|Sweden}} || [[Telenor Sverige]] || Telenor || 100 percent || 12,857
|-
| {{flag|Bangladesh}} || [[Grameenphone]] || গ্রামীণফোন || 55.8 percent || 14,980 
|-
| {{flag|Malaysia}} || [[CelcomDigi]] || celcomdigi || 33.1 percent || 13,572
|-
| {{flag|Thailand}} || [[True Corporation]] || ทรู คอร์ปอเรชั่น || 5.35 percent{{efn|Divested 24.95% in True Corporation on January 22, 2026. The remaining 5.35% put to a mutual put/call option two years after previous divestment for a total value of approximately {{NOK|39 billion}}.<ref>https://www.telenor.com/media/newsroom/press-releases/telenor-sells-ownership-in-true-corporation/index.page</ref>}} || 22 994
|}

===Telenor Amp===
In 2022, Telenor established Telenor Amp, a business area managing companies adjacent to its core telecom operations. Amp follows a "develop-or-divest" strategy, focusing on areas such as IoT and security services. Its portfolio includes Telenor Connexion and since 2024, the cybersecurity subsidiary, Telenor Cyberdefence.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Blackman |first=Andrew |date=2024-06-17 |title=🇳🇴 Telenor establishes new cyber security company with Nordic ambitions |url=https://www.arctictoday.com/%F0%9F%87%B3%F0%9F%87%B4-telenor-establishes-new-cyber-security-company-with-nordic-ambitions/ |access-date=2025-11-06 |website=ArcticToday |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Research===
Telenor Research is Telenor's corporate unit for [[Research and Development|Research & Development]]. The unit conducts research and delivers research-based advice on topics such as market, technology, data analytics, innovation and organization. Telenor Research provides research-based analysis and strategic recommendations to the Telenor Group, as well as to the individual business units across Telenor's markets. Telenor Research's mission is to create business value for Telenor through applied research.

===Internet of Things (IoT) and Machine-to-machine===
Telenor started exploring the potential of [[Machine-to-Machine|M2M]] in 2000, when Telenor R&D established a project aimed toward technology, services and business models. This was further spurred when Telenor acquired the Swedish mobile company Europolitan, which contained parts of Vodafone's research in the area. As a result, two separate companies were established: Telenor Connexion in [[Stockholm, Sweden]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=IoT solutions 500+ networks 200+ countries | url=https://www.telenorconnexion.com/|access-date=2021-10-24 | publisher=Telenor Connexion | language=en-US}}</ref> (aiming higher up in the M2M value chain) and [[Telenor Objects]] (aiming further down in the value chain). The initiative has resulted in a substantial market share of Europe's fast-growing M2M market and is being used by [[Nissan]] in [[Europe]] to connect its customers' [[electric cars]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.engadget.com/2010/12/20/european-nissan-leaf-gets-always-on-connection-lets-you-turn-up/|title = European Nissan Leaf gets always-on connection, lets you turn up the AC wirelessly}}</ref> As of 2017, Telenor Objects is no longer active.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Virksomhetsopplysninger - Brønnøysundregistrene |url=https://virksomhet.brreg.no/nb/oppslag/enheter/994161148 |access-date=2025-11-06 |website=virksomhet.brreg.no}}</ref>

In 2021, Telenor unified its [[Internet of Things|IoT]] operations under the brand Telenor IoT, combining Telenor Connexion with other units into a single global team of around 200 specialists.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Telenor gathers strength in IoT for the 5G era - Telenor Group |url=https://www.telenor.com/media/newsroom/telenor-gathers-strength-in-iot-for-the-5g-era/ |access-date=2025-10-24 |website=www.telenor.com |language=no}}</ref> Analysts have included Telenor in Gartner's Magic Quadrant for Managed IoT Connectivity Services and Transforma Insights' CSP IoT Peer Benchmarking 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Eriksson |first=Nicole Gläser |date=2025-03-18 |title=Telenor Group—Once Again Named a Leader in 2025 Gartner®Magic Quadrant™ for Managed IoT Connectivity Services, Worldwide |url=https://iot.telenor.com/iot-insights/telenor-leader-managed-iot-connectivity-services-gartner-2025/ |access-date=2025-10-24 |website=Telenor IoT |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Communications Service Provider (CSP) IoT Peer Benchmarking 2024 - Reports & Insights |url=https://transformainsights.com/research/reports/csp-iot-peer-benchmarking-2024 |access-date=2025-10-24 |website=transformainsights.com}}</ref> In 2025, trade publications reported that Telenor IoT had surpassed deploying 25 million SIMs and through a partnership with Verizon Business enabled customers to access local U.S. networks via [[eSIM]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-01-15 |title=Telenor celebrates 25m SIM cards deployed |url=https://www.iotinsider.com/news/telenor-celebrates-25m-sim-cards-deployed/ |access-date=2025-10-24 |website=IOT Insider |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Turner |first=Annie |date=2024-12-19 |title=Telenor's IoT customers gain access to Verizon Business' network in the US |url=https://www.mobileeurope.co.uk/telenors-iot-customers-gain-access-to-verizon-business-network-in-the-us/ |access-date=2025-10-24 |website=Mobile Europe |language=en-GB}}</ref>

===Broadcast===
Telenor operates the national terrestrial broadcast network in [[Norway]] through its subsidiary [[Norkring]].

Telenor owns half of [[Allente]], the result of a merger between Telenor's subsidiary [[Canal Digital]] and [[Viasat (Nordic television service)|Viasat]] which was completed on 13 April 2021.

Canal Digital was previously a leading TV content distributor in the Nordic region with about 2.7 million customers in 2011.<ref>[http://e24.no/media/svensker-vil-kjoepe-canal-digital/20094950 Svensker vil kjøpe Canal Digital] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190824145535/https://e24.no/media/svensker-vil-kjoepe-canal-digital/20094950 |date=2019-08-24 }} [[E24 Næringsliv]]. 1 September 2011. Retrieved 16 November 2013 {{in lang|no}}</ref>

==Former operations==
Telenor has sold a number of divisions after its privatisation, including Bravida,<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/bravida-idUSWEA156020120514 Triton says sells Sweden's Bravida to Bain Capital] [[Reuters]], 12 May 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2013</ref> the former installation division and [[Findexa]], now part of [[Eniro]] that is responsible for [[telephone directory|telephone directories]]. The browser vendor [[Opera Software]] originated in Telenor's R&D department.<ref>Arild Færaas (26 May 2012) [http://www.aftenposten.no/okonomi/Amerikanske-medier-Facebook-vurderer-a-kjope-opp-Opera-6837424.html Amerikanske medier: Facebook vurderer å kjøpe opp Opera] Aftenposten. Retrieved 16 November 2013 {{in lang|no}}</ref> Telenor formerly provided a range of services related to satellite communication, including [[voice]], [[television]] and [[data]] before its Telenor Satellite Services division was purchased by [[Vizada]] in 2007.

[[Telenor Kystradio]] was responsible for the infrastructure of maritime radio communication in Norway which also included five staffed coast radio stations whose primary purpose is to monitor the maritime radio traffic (over e.g. [[marine VHF radio|VHF]] and [[Mediumwave|MF]] bands) and to assist marine vessels in distress.{{Citation needed|date=November 2013}}. These tasks were returned to the state on 1 January 2026.

Telenor also owned the [[Thor (satellite)|Thor]] family of satellites until selling them to ''Space Norway'', part of the [[Norwegian Space Agency]], in 2023.

Telenor was also active in international markets as a mobile phone network operator:

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Country
!Year of entry 
!Year of exit
|-
| {{flag|Austria}} || 1997 || 2007
|-
| {{flag|Bulgaria}} || 2013 || 2017
|-
| {{flag|Czech Republic}} || 1998 || 2005
|-
| {{flag|Germany}} || 1997 || 2020
|-
| {{flag|Greece}} || 1997 || 2019
|-
| {{flag|Hungary}} || 2002 || 2017
|-
| {{flag|India}} || 2009 || 2018
|-
| {{flag|Ireland}} || 1997 || 1999
|-
| {{flag|Montenegro}} || 2004 (previously [[Serbia and Montenegro]]) || 2008
|-
| {{flag|Myanmar}} || 2014 || 2021
|-
| {{flag|Pakistan}} || 2004 || 2025
|-
| {{flag|Russia}} || 1994 || 2022
|-
| {{flag|Serbia}} || 2006 || 2017
|-
| {{flag|Slovakia}} || 1998 || 2005
|-
| {{flag|Ukraine}} || 1998 || 2019
|-
|}

==Controversy==
On 28 August 2025, it was announced that anti-[[2021 Myanmar coup d'etat|coup]] activists in [[Justice for Myanmar]] accused Telenor of providing surveillance equipment and customer data to the [[Tatmadaw]] regime in a complaint to the [[Norwegian Police]] filed jointly with [[International Court of Justice|ICJ Norway]]. Telenor's data was also allegedly used by the Tatmadaw to track down [[88 Generation Students]] member, [[Ko Jimmy]] on 13 February 2021.<ref>[https://eng.mizzima.com/2025/08/29/25882 Complaint filed in Norway against Telenor for Myanmar sanctions violations]. August 29, 2025. [[Mizzima]].</ref><ref>[https://www.nrk.no/dokumentar/toppjurister-anmelder-telenor-1.17536034 Telenor i Myanmar: Anmeldt til PST]. August 28, 2025. [[NRK]].</ref><ref>[https://eng.mizzima.com/2025/08/25/25742 Telenor data transfer linked to arrest and execution of Myanmar’s Ko Jimmy, says Norwegian adviser]. August 25, 2025. [[Mizzima]].</ref><ref>[https://www.panoramanyheter.no/demokrati-menneskerettigheter-myanmar/telenor-ble-et-mareritt-for-demokratiforkjempere-som-ko-jimmy/398813 Telenor ble et mareritt for demokratiforkjempere som Ko Jimmy]. August 20, 2025. Panorama nyheter.</ref>

The [[Jonas Gahr Støre|prime minister of Norway]] and two cabinet members have been questioned in writing by the Parliament's [[Standing Committee on Scrutiny and Constitutional Affairs]] and have been asked to answer by 6 November 2025. Furthermore, on 23 October 2025, the media stated the [[Nobel Prize]] winner [[Aung San Suu Kyi]] was one of the victims of the data violations.<ref>https://www.nettavisen.no/nyheter/avkrever-svar-fra-store-barth-eide-og-myrseth-hva-visste-de/s/5-95-2686128. Nettavisen.no. Retrieved 2025-10-23</ref>

==See also==
* [[AeroMobile]]
* [[COMSAT mobile communications]]
* [[List of mobile network operators]]
* [[Opera Software ASA]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|Telenor}}
* {{Official website}}
* [https://www.telenor.no Telenor Norge]
* [https://telenorquiztodays.pk/ Telenor Quiz]

{{Telenor}}
{{OBXList}}
{{OperaBrowser}}
{{Major telecommunications companies}}
{{Authority control}}

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