Nkom said access price regulation will be sharpened, adding that wholesale buyers should not have their margins squeezed. The regulator said Telenor’s strong market position gives it a special obligation to provide access to other operators.
The ruling, sparked by how much Telenor has been charging smaller operators to use its network, is designed to improve competition and enable continued development of competing networks.
The regulator added that Tele2 Norway’s merger with TeliaSonera has changed the competitive landscape. While Ainmt Holding’s Ice.net has taken over Tele2’s infrastructure and is presently upgrading it, Nkom expects Ice to be dependent on access to Telenor or TeliaSonera’s grid to provide mobile services in the country.
Telenor presently has a market share of over 50% of Norway’s phone subscriptions and a 56% share of revenues, according to Nkom.
