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Prepaid Data SIM Card Wiki
Prepaid Data SIM Card Wiki
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in: Europe, Country, Lycamobile,
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Norway

Revision as of 21:24, 28 March 2017 by Ipswitch (talk | contribs) (→‎More info)
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Basics

Norway has three networks, run by two companies:

  • Telenor
  • Telia (formerly NetCom) merged with Tele2 (by Network Norway, acquired by Telia)

Telenor is still market leader closely followed by Telia that has taken over third-ranked Tele2 in 2015. Tele2 is now merged with Telia or roams on their network in 2-4G through national network sharing. 2G is on 900 and 1800 MHz, 3G on 900 and 2100 MHz and 4G/LTE started on 800, 1800 and 2600 MHz on all operators.

Another provider sold under the brand of ice.net run by Access Industries offers mobile broadband based on LTE on 450, 800 and 1800 MHz with a pretty large footprint all over the country. But it's limited to contract subscribers and not offered for prepaid. So it's not mentioned any further.

Country code for Norway is +47.

All prices below given in Norwegian Kronas (NOK).

Regulations

Although Norway is not part of the EU, but of the European Economic Area (EEA), and as such roaming rates are regulated like all over the EU. Foreigners have to buy the starter pack in a shop showing their photo ID for registration. The operators and most of the MVNOs are geared to contract customers, so there is only a rather limited choice of prepaid SIM cards, which are locally called Kontantkort.

Coverage

Many public places and public transport are covered by WiFi. For instance, the shuttle bus from Oslo airport to downtown has free WiFi. Norwegian airline provides free WiFi, many ferries and metro trains as well. So you might not need mobile internet rightaway. Populated areas have good mobile coverage, except some remote mountains or fjords. The Svalbard archipelago (including its main island Spitsbergen) is covered by all Norwegian providers as well.

Telenor

Telenor

Telenor is market leader in Norway with more than 50% of the national users on its network. It has a good coverage and speeds throughout the country: Telenor Coverage map. 4G/LTE is available for prepaid, but max. speed is 6 Mbit/s.

Availability

Their prepaid SIM is called Telenor Kontant. It's sold at Telenor shops (store locator), many convenience stores like Narvesen, 7-Eleven, Deli de Luca, Mix and electronic retailers for 200 NOK (including 50 NOK credit).

For travelers entering through Oslo Gardermoen Aiport (OSL), there is a cellphone retailer (shop sign: "Mobiles") in the main terminal, next to the rental car counter. Travellers need to provide their passports and the address of your country and Norway (hotel). Many shop attendants in convenience stores won't do the registration. Instead, better drop by the mobile or electronic dedicated stores or a Telenor store to purchase the SIM card. Mini/micro/nano SIM cards are available for 200 NOK start-up with 50 NOK credit. Mini SIM card is pre-cut into micro/nano size.

Account management and recharging

To check your account balance, send SMS with text SALDO to number 2525. You can also call the service number 91500500 (Norwegian only).

You can try recharging using EU-issued credit card on Telenor website, but it accepts mainly Scandinavian credit cards.

Instead, vouchers can be bought at any convenience store in the country. Additional credit can be topped up with the minimum of 200 NOK. The vouchers are in Norwegian language only but the top-up menu can be switched to English. If you buy the credits at places like 7-Eleven, they will print out a "Ladekode" (top-up code) with instructions in Norwegian. You can follow instructions (ask the cashier of 7-Eleven if you can't read Norwegian, but it's not their duty to help you). You can top-up credit by the calling phone given in the instruction. But this phone line doesn't have an English menu, so you might need another help from the staff. You enter the "Ladekode" and that's it. You might need to reboot the phone to update carrier database. if you use an iPhone.

Default data rate

The SIM card has a flat rate of max. 10 NOK per day for data. If you use more you won't get billed more than 10 NOK, but speed is reduced to 128 Kbps, when you exceed 500 MB downloaded data per month.

Data feature packages

These data packages called Datapakker are available for the Kontantkort, but all of them are very longterm running:

  • Årskort: 1 Year's package: 200 MB each month for one year: 499 NOK
  • Halvårskort: 1/2 year's package: 200 MB each month for 6 months: 399 NOK
  • Kvartalskort: 1/4 year's package: 200 MB each month for 3 months: 299 NOK

Shorter packages are not available. Activation is texting name to 1999.

More info

Telia (formerly NetCom)

Telia

Telia new logo

Telia, formerly called NetCom is Norway's runner up, owned by Swedish Telia Group. After the merger with Tele2 , their coverage have surpassed even Telenor according to lates network tests in 2016: NetCom coverage map.

They give out heavily reduced roaming rates to the other Telia Networks in Finland, Sweden and Denmark. They provide 4G/LTE for prepaid too, but limited to 10 Mbit/s covering 98% of population already in 2016.

Note that all information published by Telia is in Norwegian, both printed and online. Even the voice prompts when attempting to recharge a PAYG number are in Norwegian only.

Availability

Their prepaid product is called Telia Smart Kontant. It is sold for 99 NOK at Telia stores (store locator), 29 NOK (including 30 NOK credit) at convenience stores, Narvesen, 7-Eleven, Deli de Luca, Mix and many electronic retailers. In promotions and online the starter is sometimes given out for free. It comes with 250 MB and free voice and text for 2 weeks.

Account management and recharging

Recharging balance on the Telia website only works with a Nordic Credit Card.

Instead, vouchers can be bought at convenience stores. The vouchers are in Norwegian only, but the recharge menu can be changed to English at the bottom of the page.

Check your account balance by dialing *150#.

Data feature packages

The SMART Kontant is available with these base plans:

  • 14DG: 250 MB, free domestic calls, texts, MMS for 14 days: 99 NOK
  • MINI: 1 GB, free domestic calls, texts, MMS for 31 days: 199 NOK
  • BASIS: 3 GB, free domestic calls, texts, MMS for 31 days, Roam like home: 299 NOK
  • PLUSS: 6 GB: free domestic calls, texts, MMS for 31 days, Roam like home: 399 NOK

These packages can be renewed ahead of time online, by app, in a Telia store or by texting the name of the bundle to 1995. Max. speed is 10 Mbits on 4G/LTE. The "Roam like home" option of Basis and Pluss plans includes all calls, texts and data on Telia networks in Scandianavia and the Baltic States for the domestic Norwegian rate.

By the same ways you can add shorter bundles called SMART Kontant Mikro:

  • FRI1: 200 MB for 1 day: 25 NOK
  • FRI2: 1 GB for 1 day: 50 NOK
  • FRI3: 1 GB for 3 days: 75 NOK
  • FRI4: 3 GB for 3 days: 125 NOK

More info

MyCall (formely Lebara Norway)

Mycall

In 2012 Tele2 bought the Norwegian branch of Lebara and sells their prepaid cards through the MyCall brand nowadays. In 2015 Tele2 was acquired by Telia and their networks have been merged. Telia coverage (switch from 'TALE' to 'DATA'). 4G/LTE is open for prepaid.

Availability

The SIM called Kontantkort is available for NOK 49 online or discounted to NOK 25 (including 25 NOK credit) at a lot of retailers, you can find here. If you do not have a Norwegian personal ID number, you will need to register and activate at the point of purchase. A 0.99 NOK start-up fee is charged.

Top-ups can be bought in shops or you can top-up at their website using internatl. credit cards.

Check balance by dialing *150#. There is an advance balance check on *151# which tells you about your packages and you can change language to English. This service is free.

Data feature packages

Default data rate is 1.99 NOK per MB. They offer these monthly packages for data with a max speed of 20 Mbit/s:

  • 1 GB: 79 NOK (Valid: 30 days)
  • 3 GB: 149 NOK (Valid: 30 days)
  • 6 GB: 219 NOK (Valid: 30 days)
  • 10 GB: 299 NOK (Valid: 30 days)

Packages can be bought online from your credit or by texting the activation code to 06160.

More info

Chess

Chess

Chess is a MVNO that was sold in 2006 to Telia. It moved all customers from Telenor to Telia network. There it now gives out 4G/LTE up to 60 Mbit/s to prepaid customers as well.

Availability

Chess SIM cards are sold in every Narvesen shop and 7-Eleven, most of which are also open on Sundays. Their prepaid SIM is called Chess Kontantkort and sold for NOK 1 in the standart version or as KontantkortGlobal with reduced foreign call prices.

Chess requires registration of all their prepaid customers. It can be done online or by SMS if you have the Norwegian social security number or D-number. If you don't have it, you need to fill in the form and show some ID at the counter of Chess local telecom partner. The shop where you bought the card is such partner and registering immediately after you bought the start package is the best option. Be aware that some users have reported of activation problems with a purchased Chess SIM card (see comments). So better load credit after it has been activated.

You can top-up online with a Nordic credit card or better buy vouchers at their kiosks. Check balance by *150#.

Data feature packages

The basic data rate is 0.99 NOK per MB but it is limited by 20 NOK per day for maximum of 300 MB per day. These plans can be chosen:

  • LittBruk: 150 MB, 150 minutes, SMS, MMS: 99 NOK
  • NormalBruk: 1 GB, unlimited calls, SMS, MMS: 199 NOK
  • EkstraBruk:  5 GB, unlimited calls, SMS, MMS; 299 NOK

You can use the voice, SMS and MMS allowance from the package in all of Scandinavia on Telia networks without surcharges.

More info

Chilimobil

Chilimobil

Chilimobil is an MVNO that launched on the Telenor network in April 2012. Since February 2017 it has switched over to Telia network (see above). It has been the first MVNO in Norway to offer 4G/LTE for prepaid.

Availablility

The prepaid SIM calld "Kontantkort" is available at Coop, ICA, Rimi, MIX, Narvesen, 7-Eleven where you can recharge too. SIM card starter pack costs 29 NOK with 15 NOK credit included. If you don't have a Norwegian passport, insist that your ID data are to be collected at the point of purchase for activation, as you will not be able to do it online without a Norwegian personnummer.

You can top-up in more than 3000 outlets in the country. Check balance by texting 'SALDO' to 2595.

Data feature packages

The daily rate for data is set at 15 NOK for the standard Kontantkort, (not the other product lines) on 2-4G of Telenor network. There seems to be a 2 GB per calendar month FUP in place after which speed will be throttled for the daily rate.

For more speed or data, you can add data in monthly packages:

  • 250 MB: 59 NOK
  • 1 GB: 69 NOK

It's unclear what happens when data quota is exceeded, but most likely your speed will be throttled again.

More info

  • APN: netcom

Lycamobile

Lycamobile

UK-based MVNO Lycamobile is operating in Norway too. It uses the network of Telia on 2G and 3G, but not on 4G/LTE yet.

Availability

As usual the SIM card is free with Lycamobile at their retailers, but you have to make a top-up right away. Top up vouchers are available for 50, 100 or 200 NOK at their outlets or online. Check balance by *150#.

Data feature packages

Default rate for data, if no package is booked or for overuse: 0.99 NOK per MB.

The following monthly (30 days) data bundles are available:

  • 150 MB: 49 NOK. Activation: *139*3001#
  • 600 MB: 99 NOK. Activation: *139*3002#
  • 1 GB: 129 NOK. Activation: *139*3003#
  • 1.75 GB: 199 NOK. Activation: *139*3004#
  • 3 GB: 299 NOK. Activation: *139*3005#

Bundles will automatically renew, if there is credit. To stop dial *190# before expiry. To check data volume, dial *137#. Max speed is 16 Mbit/s.

More info

  • APN: data.lyca-mobile.no
  • Username: lmno *Password: plus
  • Website in English: note the unusual spelling of Lycamobile online: http://www.lyca-mobile.no/en/
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