Norway’s Telenor sees COVID-19 impact on client base

OSLO: Norway’s Telenor said on Thursday it expects a single-digit decline in subscription base and traffic revenue this year as the COVID-19 pandemic dented its sales, even as the telecoms operator posted a higher-than-expected quarterly profit.

The Oslo-headquartered firm, which operates in nine countries across Europe and Asia, said its subscription base decreased by 3.2 million to 182 million in the second quarter.

“The temporary lockdown of physical retail channels led to a significant decline in sales, impacting revenues negatively especially in our Asian prepaid markets,” the company said, adding that mobility and travel restrictions in all markets led to a significant decrease in inbound and outbound roaming, especially in their Nordic operations.