Increased geopolitical uncertainty and growing dependence on global hyperscalers have made the need for nationally controlled cloud solutions urgent.
Telenor is now establishing a new Norwegian sovereign cloud company designed for organisations with the most stringent requirements for security, resilience and regulatory compliance.
The company will be named Telenor Sovereign Cloud and was announced in connection with a visit from Norway’s Minister of Digitalisation, Karianne Tung.
“Norwegian organisations need modern, scalable cloud services that at the same time provide full national control. We see a clear and growing need in both the private and public sectors. With Telenor Sovereign Cloud, we aim to deliver a solution that combines scalable cloud technology with Norwegian governance, operations and security,”said Jannicke Hilland, executive vice president and head of Telenor Infrastructure.
“In a more uncertain world, control over one’s own data and digital infrastructure is critical. Initiatives like this help strengthen Norway’s digital sovereignty and resilience and are fully aligned with the government’s plan for Norway,” said Minister of Digitalisation Karianne Tung.
Building a sovereign cloud platform in Norway
The platform will be operated from nationally controlled data centres in Norway and developed to be isolated from commercial, global cloud solutions. All data will be stored, processed and managed under Norwegian jurisdiction. The service is being developed to meet strict requirements for security legislation, operational independence and the handling of highly sensitive data.
The initiative is part of Telenor’s Nordic ambition within secure and resilient digital infrastructure. In the initial phase, the solution will be established in Norway, partly due to national regulatory requirements and the need for local control, with the possibility of further development across the Nordics over time.
The solution will be built in collaboration with selected technology partners, while Telenor will retain control over architecture, operations and security. The company will also test and use the services internally, alongside work with external customers.
“We are now building a dedicated professional environment with specialist expertise in security, cloud and infrastructure. Recruitment is already under way, and over time the initiative is expected to involve around 50 people. We are starting small and will grow in line with demand and the development of the service,” said Hilland.
In the initial phase, the initiative will target public sector actors and larger enterprises with critical societal functions, with particular focus on the energy and healthcare sectors. Telenor will work with selected customers to test the concept, with the aim of deciding on a commercial launch based on experience from the pilot phase. Telenor Sovereign Cloud will be established as a standalone company under the Telenor Infrastructure business area.
“The pilot phase will provide valuable insight into how the solution performs in practice – from technology and security requirements to regulatory aspects and commercial potential. These experiences will form the basis for further scaling and commercial launch,” said Hilland.
The initiative will be developed in stages, where market demand will determine the pace and scale of future investment.
With this establishment, Telenor strengthens its position as a provider of critical societal infrastructure. With local presence, strong security expertise and a modern cloud platform, the company will be a strategic partner for organisations with stringent requirements for data protection, digital sovereignty and operational resilience.
“This initiative marks an important step in strengthening Norway’s digital sovereignty,” concluded Hilland.
