STOCKHOLM, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Swedish telecoms group Telia and Norway's Lyse, owner of mobile operator Ice, have agreed to combine their Norwegian mobile radio access networks into a jointly held firm, the companies said on Monday. Telenor dominates the Norwegian telecom market, followed by Telia Norway and Ice. Telia Norway and Ice will continue to own and operate separate core networks as independent players and competitors. "This gives us both an opportunity to build a nationwide network, which we cannot do in isolation by ourselves, because it's too costly," Telia CEO Patrik Hofbauer told Reuters. Telia said it expects the network combination to save material costs and deliver clear financial benefits. "It will give us the firepower to invest and build a strong digital network," Hofbauer said. The combined network is expected to be operational in the second quarter. (Reporting by Supantha Mukherjee in Stockholm, editing by Anna Ringstrom) (The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)
