Wireless Internet
access is a rapidly growing technology and a wide range of consumer
electronics has started to ship with wireless networking built in.
Aimed at both business and private users, the Telenor and Statoil
alliance enters a market where 90% of the laptop PCs is expected to be
Wi-Fi enabled by 2005 (Gartner Group).
The new service, called Wireless Zone is designed to
release a substantial productivity gain for customers by allowing users
to maintain a high-speed wireless data connection on laptop PCs and
PDA's while visiting a Statoil Petrol Station.
- Statoil's goal is to be the preferred stopover
while on the road. The new service gives our customers to both fill up
their cars and their PC's when visiting one of our stations. This is a
solution for the future and solid proof of Statoil's innovations. We
are continuously seeking new services that makes life easier for our
customers, says Knut Hansen, Head of Information, Statoil Norway.
- We strongly believe that corporations will view
wireless networks as a natural prerequisite for doing business.
Telenor's innovative new WLAN-service service will provide companies
with high-speed wireless freedom, combined with a secure VPN client,
extending their ability to cooperate and exchange current information,
anytime, anywhere, says Anders Hauglie-Hanssen, executive vice
president business communications at Telenor.
As part of Telenor's strategy of taking a more
holistic view to the Norwegian home market customer base, it is
possible to roam between existing Telenor Wi-Fi spots and the new
Statoil installations. That means that existing Telenor mobile and ADSL
customers can utilise the new Statoil's service and Statoil customers
can use Telenor's existing installations, thus broadening the
user-friendliness even further.
For further information, please contact:
Knut Hansen, Head of Information Statoil Norge, (+ 47) 917 38 053, knusen@statoil.com
Atle Lessum, Head of Information Telenor Private, (+ 47) 415 05 645, atle.lessum@telenor.com
About Telenor
Headquartered in Oslo, Norway, Telenor is an
international provider of high quality telecommunications, data and
media communication services. Telenor is one of Norway's largest
companies with revenues in 2002 of approx. NOK 48.8 billion and a
work-force of 22,100 domestically and abroad. Telenor is listed at the
Oslo Stock Exchange (TEL) and Nasdaq in New York (TELN).
About Statoil Detaljhandel AS
Statoil operates
some 2,000 service stations in nine countries, of which 490 stations in
Norway. The Statoil stations provide automotive fuels, car accessories
and simple vehicle service. Most also offer fast food, convenience
products and groceries. Automated car washes as well as car/trailer
hire are available at a number of outlets. A separate company, Statoil
Detaljhandel Skandinavia, which is owned 50-50 by the group and
Sweden's ICA supermarket chain, operates the Scandinavian stations.
