BUCHAREST, Romania-As of 1 March, 2001, Telenor will close down its NMT 900 analog mobile network. Norwegian authorities agree with Telenor the digital GSM system is a fully acceptable alternative to the NMT 900 system and have shortened the license period, which will now be terminated at the end of February 2001.
Norwegian NMT-900 subscribers will either be compensated or offered reasonably priced GSM subscriptions.
The NMT-900 network was established in 1986 to relieve pressure on the existing NMT 450 network. NMT technology was a pioneer cellular network, developed and operated as a result of close Nordic cooperation and Nordic roaming agreements. The increase in popularity of the NMT-900 system was so sharp that network deployment often could not cope with the demand.
The early development of mobile cellular services in Norway and other Nordic countries helps explain why the penetration of mobile-phone subscribers in the region is the highest of anywhere in the world. At its peak, there were 300,000 NMT-900 subscribers in Norway. This number has today decreased to 56,000 and is decreasing by 1,000 subscribers each week.
