Tele2 said its subsidiary Mobile Norway has signed an agreement with Access Industries unit Ice Communication Norge for the lease of frequencies in the 900 MHz band. As a part of the agreement, Ice intends to purchase parts of Tele2's mobile network infrastructure if the Norwegian Competition Authority approves TeliaSonera acquisition of Tele2 in Norway. This section of the agreement consists of a fixed part and an alternative in terms of number of base stations and the time of the acquisition.
Through the agreement with Ice, Tele2 Norway has gained access to 5 MHz in the 900 band from 01 October 2014 until the 01 April 2015. The parties have agreed not to disclose any information about the details of the commercial terms or provide further comments regarding the agreement.
TeliaSonera Norway CEO August Baumann said the agreement has a very positive impact on the competition on the Norwegian market. It helps to meet the political target that there should be three mobile networks in the country, and it guarantees network access to Tele2's customers until spring 2015, when traffic will be switched over to the TeliaSonera network. By then, the Competition Authority should have decided whether TeliaSonera is allowed to acquire Tele2's Norwegian operations, in which Mobile Norway is included.
The sale of parts of the mobile infrastructure also helps to ensure that there will continue to be three networks on the Norwegian market. This transaction also requires that TeliaSonera's acquisition in Norway is approved by the Competition Authority.
