The Norwegian government has promised NOK 140 million towards the construction of fibre lines in and out of Norway, and for a new core network in the country, said national broadcaster NRK on its news website. In April, communications regulator Nkom had recommended state support to boost connectivity against vulnerabilities.The funding was announced when Prime Minister Erna Solberg and Minister of Transport and Communications Ketil Solvik-Olsen visited Bulk’s new data centre in Stoleheia in Vennesla on 04 September.
Last December, Nkom pointed out the risk of 90 percent of web traffic travelling from Oslo through Sweden and on to Denmark, as is currently the case. Just ahead of the parliamentary election on 11 September, the government is pledging NOK 100 million for fibre cables in and out of Norway, and NOK 40 million for a new domestic backbone.
NRK suggested to Solvik-Olsen, the telecoms minister, that NOK 100 million was not much money when a new fibre cable could cost NOK 400 million. He replied that the state funding would act as a catalyst and he hoped the telecoms sector would invest billions.
Prime Minister Solberg said the goals were better data security and providing the conditions for a growing Norwegian data centre industry. The government will hand Nkom the task of investing the money in projects that will be run by private operators, she said.
Solvik-Olsen said connections to Sweden were good, but emergency preparations were insufficient. The state will jointly fund the schemes and be one of several owners, potentially selling its interests at a later date, he added.
The funding was welcomed by Peder Naerbo, who founded Bulk, which built the Stoleheia data centre.