TeliaSonera, Telenor merge operations in Denmark
December 3, 2014
TeliaSonera and Telenor have entered into an agreement to merge their Danish operations into a new joint venture where the parties will own 50 per cent each. The new joint venture will create a robust mobile operator that is able to increase investments in networks to the benefit of our customers.
“We are making a necessary and natural move by forming a joint venture with Telenor building on the network partnership we already have with them. By joining forces we can secure investments in Denmark, to the benefit not only of our customers but to the Danish society as a whole,” says Robert Andersson, EVP and Head of Region Europe in TeliaSonera.
The new company will have a combined number of mobile subscriptions of around 3.5 million. With a combined mobile subscriber market share of approximately 40 percent, revenues of more than DKK 9 billion and a significant synergy potential, the transaction creates a robust operator.
The need for consolidation in the Danish telecom market has been apparent for a while as operators face continued pressure on revenues and profitability, limiting the room for investments and innovation. Telenor and TeliaSonera have since 2012 cooperated in Denmark through their joint mobile network. The parties now agreed that an independent joint venture is the strategically preferred route to capture synergies and to create value.
“Competition in Denmark is intense and we face continued pressure on revenue growth and profitability, making consolidation inevitable. By combining the assets and customer bases of Telenor and TeliaSonera in Denmark, the joint venture will become a robust operator. We will be able to offer our customers a high-quality network with outstanding connectivity and the best customer experience in Denmark,” says Kjell Morten Johnsen, EVP and Head of Telenor Region Europe.