Telenor : New contractor agreements meet greater skills requirements

(Fornebu, 26 January 2010) Telenor Norway has entered into long-term agreements
with the contractors Relacom AS, Sønnico Installasjon AS and Eltel Networks AS
for the development and operation of the Telenor network infrastructure and
deliveries for Telenor customers. The agreements are valid for 5 years and will
secure access for Telenor to the best expertise and capacity for contractor
services available in the Norwegian market.

The competition in the market for telecom services, new technology and the
changing needs of customers lead to an increase in skills requirements, as well
as a need for a more effective operation both with regard to Telenor and the
contractors. The new agreement structure gives each supplier overall
responsibility for a geographic area, and a longer period of validity for the
agreements. This means greater predictability for the contractors and a more
solid basis for building expertise and presence in local markets. This in turn
stimulates efficiency and improves services.

"We are pleased to have established long-term cooperation agreements with three
qualified contractors. By doing so, Telenor Norway can secure a presence with
adapted and suitable expertise throughout Norway for the benefit of Telenor
customers. Our supply of quality services to our customers in close
collaboration with the contractors also provides good conditions for long-term,
qualified and profitable workplaces", says Ragnar Kårhus, head of Telenor
Norway.

Since two of the agreements expire at the end of the year and the third expires
at the end of the following year, it was appropriate to carry out a joint
renegotiation before 2010.
The agreements cover a total of 2,500 to 3,000 people who are carrying out the
work for Telenor Norway. The contractors are responsible for 30,000 development
assignments and will hold 650,000 customer meetings in the course of the year.

"The contractors are, in many areas, the first point of contact with our
customers. A partnership model with clearly defined areas of responsibility and
a long period of validity that ensures skills development among the contractors
is therefore strategically important to our operation in Norway", says Kårhus.


For further information please contact:
Atle Lessum, Information Manager at Telenor Norway, tel. [phone],
[e-mail] 
Sverre Kjenne, Ceo Sønnico installasjon AS, tlf (+ 47) 922 16 005,
[e-mail] 
Stein Martinsen, Ceo Relacom AS, tlf ([phone],
[e-mail] 
Ove Haukåssveen, Sales director Eltel Networks AS, tlf ([phone],
[e-mail] 



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