Norway fines its main telecoms firm for blocking competition

COPENHAGEN, Denmark — The Norwegian Competition Authorities has fined Norway's largest telecoms provider Telenor 788 million kroner ($96 million) for abusing its dominant position on the country's mobile market.

The watchdog's director general, Lars Soergard, says Telenor made "a serious infringement of competition law" when creating "barriers for the development of a third mobile network in Norway."

The watchdog agency said Telenor introduced amendments to the network access agreement with the intention of limiting further investments in the third mobile network in Norway in 2010.

Thursday's fine was the largest ever given by the Competition Authority "to reflect the breach of the Norwegian Competition Act."

In a statement, Telenor CEO Berit Svendsen said the group had not violated any laws, adding the group likely would file an appeal.