Europe : On Tuesday, Telenor opened its new mobile network UMTS in Longyearbyen at Svalbard.

Inset is Mr. Amundsen with a 3G phone at Svalbard who is quoted below.

The network, which has been supplied by Ericsson, offers very high data transmission speeds, and will give Telenor Mobil's customers access to third generation mobile services (3G) such as video calls and mobile TV.

"A number of years ago, Telenor Mobil made a commitment that we would provide 3G services to Svalbard as soon as this was technically feasible. Through our partnership with Ericsson, we have now accomplished this, and today we are extremely proud to open our new mobile network at Svalbard," said Bjorn Amundsen, Director of Coverage at Telenor Mobil.

UMTS stands for Universal Mobile Telecommunications System. The new technology will give Telenor's mobile customers improved access to the new mobile services collectively known under the heading 3G. This involves transmission of live images, and much faster Internet connection than what customers are used to from current mobile systems.

Telenor's UMTS network currently covers more than 2.8 million people, and Telenor is committed to provide coverage to all Norwegian communities counting more than 200 people by year-end 2007.

The 1800-strong community at Longyearbyen, and the many tourists who make the trip up to 78 degrees North will now be given access the same mobile services that they are offered on the mainland. The mobile network at Svalbard has also been upgraded with EDGE technology, which increases the speeds of the existing mobile network. In Longyearbyen, all the central parts of the town, and the road to Longyear will have UMTS coverage.

Facts about 3G services:

EDGE or UMTS handsets will be required to access the new 3G services, and users must be within an area that has 3G coverage. At sales outlets, the mobile phones that support Telenor's 3G services will carry special identification marks, to help customers choose the right model.

Regular phone calls will be charged as today, as specified in individual customers' subscription plans. A complete overview of mobile charges will be available at Telenor Mobil's Internet site, telenormobil.no. Updated coverage maps will also be provided at this site.