OSLO, Norway, Feb. 28, 2001 (PRIMEZONE) -- Effective from April 3rd, Telenor (Nasdaq:TELN) will reduce the rates for all its mobile customers. It is primarily the rates on calls to other operators' networks in Norway which will be reduced.
For the second time this year, Telenor Mobil cuts the price of mobile calls. The first reductions were implemented on January 1st, when the subscriber fee for Premium customers was simultaneously reduced.
In addition to reducing its own rates, Telenor Mobil has implemented a 15 percent cost reduction on the price of calls from customers holding subscriptions with other mobile companies. Thus, Telenor Mobil has paved the way for these companies to follow suit, and lower their own prices.
Despite the 1 percent VAT increase effective from January 1st, Telenor Mobil has this year undergone an overall reduction in prices. Ignoring the VAT increase, this year's collective price reductions total NOK 167 million.
The reductions this time around, includes the daytime minute rate for Premium (GSM Proff) customers calling customers connected to other operators' networks which is reduced from NOK 2.69 to NOK 2.29. The corresponding rates for Primary (GSM Primær) customers will be reduced from NOK 2.99 to NOK 2.69.
The price of mobile services has continuously decreased over the past few years, and Telenor Mobil has been paramount in the effort to ensure that Norway remains one of the cheapest countries in the world when it comes to mobile usage.
"This is possible because Telenor Mobil focuses on cost and increasingly runs our business more efficiently," said Telenor Mobil's Managing Director, Ingvild Myhre.
The past year has witnessed a number of newcomers on the Norwegian mobile market, and today there are approximately 20 companies offering mobile subscriptions. This entails increased competition and a sharpened focus on prices. Telenor Mobil keeps a close eye on the market with the aim to always remain competitive on the price front.
Price changes from Telenor Mobil so far this year:
-- Price reductions effective from January 1st
-- Monthly subscriber fee for GSM Proff was reduced from NOK 2.49 to
NOK 2.24
-- Calls from GSM Primaer to Telenor's fixed network (Monday to
Friday 7:00a.m.-6:00p.m.) were reduces from NOK 1.18 to NOK 1.09
Per minute
-- Calls from GSM Privat to Telenor's fixed network (Monday to Friday
7:00a.m.-6:00p.m.) were reduced from NOK 3.99 to NOK 3.69 per
minute
-- Price reductions effective from April 3rd
-- Calls from GSM Proff to other mobile networks in Norway will be
reduced from NOK 2.69 to NOK 2.29 per minute
-- Daytime calls from GSM Primaer to other mobile networks in Norway
(Monday to Friday 7:00a.m.-6:00p.m.) will be reduced from NOK 2.99
to NOK 2.69 per minute
-- Calls from GSM Primaer to other mobile networks in Norway in the
evening and at the weekends will be reduced from NOK 2.79 to NOK
2.69 per minute
-- Daytime calls from GSM Privat to other mobile networks in Norway
(Monday to Friday 7:00a.m.-6:00p.m.) will be reduced from NOK 4,99
to NOK 3.99 per minute
-- Daytime pre-paid calls to the fixed network (Monday to Friday
7:00a.m.-6:00p.m.) will be reduced from NOK 5.99 to NOK 4.69 per
minute
-- Pre-paid calls to the fixed line network in the evening and at
weekends will be reduced from NOK 3.00 to NOK 2.99 per minute
-- Daytime pre-paid calls to other mobile networks in Norway (Monday
to Friday 7:00a.m.-6:00p.m.) will be reduced from NOK 5.99 to NOK
5.69 per minute
-- Price alterations effective from March 1st
-- The start up fee on all calls in the GSM network will increase
from NOK 0.45 to NOK 0.59