Telenor: a history of innovation

Over many years, Telenor has been an acknowledged front-runner in telecommunications innovation, including most recently our leading role in the research, development and roll-out of 5G in Europe. Our research has been instrumental in testing the capabilities of 5G in real-world scenarios, with trials focused on understanding the performance, reliability and potential applications of the 5G network. But this is just one example from the latest stage of our story, which has been one of constant innovation, in all of our markets, in Norway and across the world.

Our wide operational base and forward-thinking approach makes us a standout in the telecom industry, and the innovation has often been rooted in addressing local challenges with global technological solutions.

Digital service provider

In the last decades, Telenor has been at the forefront of cellular network technology advancements, launching 3G and 4G services in many of our markets, significantly improving mobile data speeds and reliability. Our role has been pivotal in the widespread adoption of mobile telephony and the internet in several countries, particularly in regions where such technologies were not readily available.

Just in the last 10 years, we have been leaning forward to implement the shift from traditional telecom company to a digital service provider. Numerous digital products, services, and platforms are meeting the changing needs of consumers and businesses. This includes IoT and smart solutions, helping our customers improve efficiency, monitor assets, and enable smart operations. Our investments in advanced analytics, AI, and machine learning are set to improve network performance, enhance customer experiences and launch new, data-driven services.

We have also been involved in fostering innovation through start-up accelerator programmes and partnerships, supporting and nurturing numerous start-ups and driving technological advancements across various industries.

New markets worldwide

Our international expansion began in the 1990s, when we moved into new markets in Europe and Asia. In Europe, we now operate in Denmark, Sweden and Finland, in addition to Norway. Our markets in Asia are Bangladesh, Malaysia, Pakistan and Thailand. We have changed the telecommunications landscape in Asia by launching initiatives such as per-second billing and new marketing and distribution models. Telenor has always worked for, and succeeded, in bringing affordable mobile services to the masses. Further economic growth in the region is now driven by accelerated digital transformation and the growth of tech-based companies. Telenor brings advanced technology and research capabilities, access to global partners, and a continued focus on transparent way of work with responsible business.

Innovator in telecommunications for more than 150 years

The position we have within research and innovation is based on a tradition of pioneering technology, ever since our start in Norway in 1855. We have gone from providing telegraphs, switchboards and phone booths to developing the innovative technologies that empower societies worldwide. Under the name Telegrafverket, we were originally a state-operated sole provider of telegraph services in Norway.

There have been many firsts for Telenor. We established the first international telegraph connections with Denmark and Great Britain in 1867 and 1869, respectively. By 1880, Norway had its first official telephone exchange. The 20th century was marked by rapid growth and strategic advancements. Norway was second in the world to initiate radio connections between islands in 1906.

The 1920s saw the establishment of the first automatic telephone exchange in Northern Europe. The 1930s were also significant, with the introduction of the distinctive red telephone booths that became a cultural icon.

Accelerating technology

By the 1960s, technological advancements accelerated with the launch of the first manual mobile phone, enabling direct international distance dialing. The 1980s was marked by satellite-based television transmission, while the 1990s saw the transformation of the Norwegian telecom market, setting the stage for Telenor’s global expansion. In 2022 Telenor Norway became the world’s first incumbent operator to shut down its countrywide copper network, after having started to dismantle unused parts of the network starting in 2019.