News Archive
26. október 2005
Future usage of the NMT-450 spectrum
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The Post and Telecom Administration (PTA) is today publishing on its web page a document intended for a public consultation by market players and others that are interested in the future usage of the NMT-450 MHz spectrum in Iceland. The NMT system, as it is regularly called, has served a very important role by providing service and security for fishermen and others that are travelling outside the coverage areas of the GSM systems. It has now been decided that the operation of the NMT system will be closed down in 2-3 years time. It is therefore necessary to draw attention to its replacement. The PTA wants this decision to be made in the spirit of the Telecom Policy Statement 2005-2010 that calls for a new long-range digital mobile phone system. A public input and opinions on issues such as; on the necessary numbers of service providers using the spectrum, methodology in regards to the build up of the mobile network, wholesale access, services, requirements on coverage, speed of the network build up, charges for spectrum usage, market influence on other telecom systems such as the 3rd generation mobile system, are among the questions that needs to be answered . Everyone is entitled to send in their opinions but strong emphasis is put on the value of answers from the registered telecom operators and other interested market players. The PTA will evaluate all inputs and thereafter put forward its recommendations on the usage of the spectrum, if a public auction is of a value in the process or if a public service contract might be more favourable solution. These options and others will be evaluated. For further information please contact Mr. Hrafnkell V. Gislason, Director of the Post and Telecom Administration. Document for discussion (PDF)
29. september 2005
Over 61.000 high-speed connections in Iceland
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New statistics on Icelandic telecom market reveals a steady increase in high-speed connections to households. x-DSL subsribers are now 61.432 or almost twice as many as two years ago. Access channels in the fixed telephone network and digital subscriber lines 1994–30/6 2005 See data collection 06/2005 More statistics
21. september 2005
273.000 mobile subscribers in Iceland
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According to a new overview Icelandic mobile subscribers are almost 273.000.The market share of Landsíminn, the incumbent actor, is 64,5%. Landsíminn has a 66,4% market share of prepaid cards. 20.564 long reaching NMT mobile phones are in use in Iceland - all subscribing to Landsíminn . Number of mobile subscribers
7. september 2005
Market analysis under consultation
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The implementation of the Electronic Communications Act requires substantial work by PTA, particularly regarding ananlysis of the elctronic communications markets. All countries in the European Economic Area (EEA) are required to adopt the same regulatory approach, in order to harmonise rules of play. The results of PTAs market analysis are expected to further support the development of the Icelandic e-communications market towards harmonisation with the European market, as defined by e-communications law. In July 2005 the first drafts on analysis of telecom market nr. 15 and nr. 16, as defined by EU directives, were sent for consultation with interested parties in Iceland .
7. september 2005
Síminn ltd. sold - Telecom privatization completed
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The former state owned telephone company Síminn ltd. – the incumbent actor in fixed and mobile networks in Iceland - has been sold for 67 billion ISK (a little over 1 billion USD) to a multitude of investors gathered under the name Skipta ltd. An agreement on the sale was signed August 5th 2005. The privatization has been under way for years. A spread ownership was a condition for the sale and the new owners consists of privat companies, banks and funds. A share of the payment is assigned for implementation of a new telecom policy statement for 2005-2010.
7. september 2005
Fair prices for universal service
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A new PTA study reveals that prices for public telephone and directory service (118) are competitive in Iceland, compared to other European countries. Prices for calls from public telephones are under average in comparison with other Nordic countries and a 1 minute call to a directory service is cheaper in Iceland than in Norway, Sweden and Denmark. In the light of these results PTA´s sees for a time being no reason to decide maximum prices for universal service. General prices for mobile telephone service are also fairly low in Iceland compared to other Nordic and OECD-countries. (August 24th 2005)