Norway picks Telia Carrier to build 3rd fiber route abroad

The Norwegian Communications Authority has chosen Telia Carrier to establish a new secure route extending out of the country.

Currently, most Internet traffic from Norway follows two paths through Sweden. A third route is needed in case all connections through Sweden are lost.

The new route will run from Oslo via Kristiansand to Esbjerg, Denmark where it will connect into the wider Telia Carrier pan-European network. The route will include two new PoP (Point of Presence) locations, independent of Telia Carrier’s existing PoPs, in the data center OS-IX (Oslo Internet Exchange) in Oslo and the hyperscale N01 Campus in Kristiansand, both owned by Bulk Infrastructure. Bulk is already well advanced in the planning of the new ‘Havsil’ subsea cable between Kristiansand and northern Denmark and aim to have the system ready for service end of 2021. 

“With this agreement, we facilitate increased geographical distribution of traffic between Norway and abroad on a daily basis, and we also ensure that our national needs are taken care of should serious incidents occur that affect the existing international traffic to Sweden”, said Elise K. Lindeberg. Director, Security Department at Norwegian Communications Authority.

“The ‘Havsil’ cable will be the shortest route connecting Norway to continental Europe, and it improves diversity by avoiding the traditional fiber routes. I am very pleased to welcome a Tier one carrier like Telia Carrier to our sites where we jointly enable the Nordics with sustainable infrastructure” said Peder Nærbø, Founder and Chairman of Bulk Infrastructure.