DENVER-The government of Norway awarded broadband wireless access licenses to Formus Communications Inc. and Broadnet.
Formus said it plans to invest about $23.7 million in its Norway network, which will offer broadband radio services to 24 Norwegian communities.
“We are optimistic this license will lead to open competition in the delivery of communications services, including telephone, Internet access and data transmission,” said Thomas Jarne, chairman of the board for Formus Norway. “This first phase of licensing will give us the ability to provide these critical services to a wide geographic area in Norway.”
Formus expects construction of the network to begin shortly and be commercially operational by the end of the year.
Broadnet, which is majority owned by Comcast Corp., plans to offer 26 GHz service in Norway’s five major cities within a year. The company said it intends to offer small and medium-sized companies high-speed competitive wireless access services.
The company also has licenses in Germany and Portugal. It has applied for wireless access licenses in France and five other markets.
In addition, Formus and Broadnet each won a BWA license in Spain, which also awarded licenses to Alo 2000, Sky Point and Banda 26, a consortium that includes Teligent Inc.
