Norway

Basics
Norway has three network operators: Telenor is market leader with the best coverage in 2G and 3G followed by NetCom. Tele2 has only limited coverage but roams on the Telenor network elsewhere. 2G is on 900 and 1800 Mhz, 3G on 900 and 2100 Mhz and 4G/LTE has started on 800, 1800 and 2600 Mhz on Telenor and NetCom.
 * Telenor
 * NetCom (by TeliaSonera)
 * Tele2 (by Network Norway)

Although Norway is not part of the EU but of the European Economic Area (EEA), and as such, voice, SMS and data roaming prices are regulated like all over the EU. For a foreigner, you have to buy the starter pack in a shop showing your photo ID for registration. The operators and most of the MVNOs are geared to contract customers, so there is only a limited choice of prepaid cards, which are called Kontantkort.

Many public places and public transport are covered by WiFi. The shuttle bus from Oslo airport to downtown has  free WiFi. Norwegian airline provides free WiFi, many ferries and metro trains as well. So you might not need extra mobile internet unless you are a heavy user travelling to remote places. Populated areas have good mobile coverage, except some deep mountains or fjords.

Telenor
Telenor is market leader in Norway with more than 50% of the national users on its network. It has the best coverage and speed throughout the country: Telenor Coverage map. 4G/LTE is available for prepaid, but max. speed is 6 Mbit/s.

Telenor Kontant
Their prepaid SIM is called Telenor Kontant. It is sold at Telenor shops (store locator), many convenience stores like Narvesen, 7-Eleven, Deli de Luca, Mix and electronic retailers for 200 NOK (including 50 NOK credit). For travelers entering through Oslo Gardermoen Aiport (OSL), there is a cellphone retailer (shop sign: "Mobiles") in the main terminal, next to the rental car counter.

Travellers need to provide their passports and the address of your country and Norway (hotel). Many shop attendants in convenience stores won't do the registration. Instead, better drop by the mobile or electronic dedicated stores or a Telenor store to purchase the SIM card.

Default data rate
SIM card has a flat rate of max. 10 NOK per day for data. If you use more you won't get billed more than 10 NOK, but speed is reduced to 128 Kbps, when you exceed 500 MB downloaded data per month.

Data feature packages
These data packages called Datapakker are available for the Kontantkort, but all of them are very longterm running: Shorter packages are not available. Activation is texting name to 1999.
 * Årskort: Year package: 200 MB each month for one year: 499 NOK
 * Halvårskort: 1/2 year's package: 200 MB each month for 6 months: 399 NOK
 * Kvartalskort: 1/4 year's package: 200 MB each month for 3 months: 299 NOK

Recharging (Top-up)
Recharging credit using the Telenor website only works with a Scandinavian credit card. Instead, vouchers can be bought at any convenience store in the country. The vouchers are in Norwegian language only but the top-up menu can be switched to English.

If you buy the credits at places like 7-11, they will print out a "Ladekode" (top-up code) with instructions in Norwegian. You can follow instructions (with help of the casher of 7-11 if you can not read Norwegian, but it's not their duty to help you). You can top up credit by the calling phone given in the instruction. But this phone line doesn't have an English menu, so you might need another help from the staff. As of June 2016, you enter the "Ladekode" and that's it. You might need to reboot the phone to update carrier database if you use iPhone.

SIM sizes

 * mini/micro/nano SIM available for 200 NOK start-up with 50 NOK credit.
 * Mini SIM card is pre-cut into micro/nano size

More info

 * tethering is allowed
 * APN: telenor
 * additional credit can be topped up with the minimum of 200 NOK or 300 NOK or more.

NetCom (by TeliaSonera)


NetCom is Norway's runner up, owned by Swedish TeliaSonera Group. Coverage is not as good as Telenor but still very reasonable: NetCom coverage map. They give out heavily reduced roaming rates to the other Telia Networks in Finland, Sweden and Denmark. They provide 4G/LTE for prepaid too, though LTE is limited to the cities only.

Note that all information published by NetCom is in Norwegian, both printed and online. Even the voice prompts when attempting to recharge a PAYG number are in Norwegian only.

Availability and start-up
Their prepaid product is called NetCom Smart Kontant. It is sold for 99 NOK at NetCom stores (store locator), 29 NOK (including 30 NOK credit) at most convenience stores, Narvesen, 7-Eleven, Deli de Luca, Mix and many electronic retailers.

Recharging balance using Netcom Website only works wit a Nordic Credit Card. Instead, vouchers can be bought at convenience stores. The vouchers are in Norwegian only but the recharge menu can be changed to English at the bottom of the page.

The Smart Kontant is available with these packs (data: 4G/LTE): In the NetCom store, they offer the following data-only top up options (as of June 2015) or with a free sim card:
 * 14 Dager: 250 MB, free domestic calls, texts, MMS in 14 days: 99 NOK
 * Mini: 1 GB, free domestic calls, texts, MMS in 31 days: 199 NOK
 * Basis: 3 GB, free domestic calls, texts, MMS, 1000 mins to Scandinavia in 31 days: 299 NOK
 * Pluss: 6 GB: free domestic calls, texts, MMS, 1000 mins to Scandinavia in 31 days: 399 NOK
 * 2GB, 200 NOK
 * 4GB, 300 NOK

SIM sizes

 * Mini Sim with pre-cut micro/nano SIM available only at retailers selling the iPhone.

More info

 * Tethering: allowed
 * APN: internet.netcom.no

MyCall (formely Lebara Norway)
The smallest network Tele2 is geared to contract customers. But in 2012 they bought the Norwegian branch of Lebara and sell their prepaid cards through the MyCall brand nowadays. Tele2 has only a limited network but uses Telenor in roaming at places without coverage. Tele2 coverage (switch to data).

Availability and start-up
The SIM card "Venner Kontantkort" is available for NOK 49 (including 25 NOK credit) at a lot of retailers, you can find here. Top-ups can be bought there too. Default data rate is 1.99 NOK per MB in all Tele2 networks in Scandinavia.

One package is available for data called Datapakke: 1 GB in 30 days: for 69 NOK. This is only for domestic data use in Norway.

More info

 * Their website is available in english
 * APN: internet

Chess
Chess is a MVNO on the NetCom network. It doesn't give out 4G to prepaid customers yet, but gives good data rates on 2G and 3G

Availability
Chess SIM cards are sold in every Narvesen shop and 7/11, most of which are also open on Sundays.

Chess requires registration of all their prepaid customers. It can be done online or by SMS if you have the Norwegian social security number or D-number. If you don't have it, you need to fill in the form and show some ID at the counter of Chess local telecom partner. The shop where you bought the card is such partner and registering immediately after you bought the start package is the best option.

Be aware that some users have reported of activation problems with a purchased Chess SIM card (see comments). So better load credit after it has been activated.

Chess Kontantkort
Their prepaid SIM is called Chess Kontantkort and sold for NOK 1 in the standart version or as KontantkortGlobal with reduced foreign call prices.

The basic data rate is 0.99 NOK per MB but it is limited by 20 NOK per day. The transfer speed (e.g. 3G) is not being limited after a while. This price is only vaild in Norway.

For Norway and free (data) roaming in other TeliaSonera Networks in Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Estonia, you can buy these monthly packages:
 * Enkel: 150 MB, 150 minutes, SMS, MMS: 99 NOK
 * Basis: 1 GB: free calls, SMS, MMS: 199 NOK
 * Standard:  5 GB, free calls, SMS, MMS, 299 NOK
 * Ekstra: 8 GB, free calls, SMS, MMS: 399 NOK

Settings

 * APN: netcom
 * Username and Password: chess

chilimobil
Chilimobil is a new MVNO on the excellent Telenor network (see above). It has been the first MVNO in Norway to offer 4G/LTE for prepaid.

Availablility
The prepaid SIM "Kontantkort" is available at Coop, ICA, Rimi, MIX, Narvesen, 7-eleven where you can recharge too.

Prices and packages
The daily rate for data is set at 10 NOK for the standard Kontantkort, (not the other product lines) on 2-4G of Telenor network. Otherwise, you can add more data in monthly packages: It's unclear what happens when data quota is exceeded.
 * 250 MB: 79 NOK
 * 1 GB: 119 NOK

Technical settings

 * APN: telenor

Lycamobile
Finally, Lycamobile is operating in Norway too. It uses the network of NetCom in 2G and 3G.

Availability
As usual the SIM card is free with Lycamobile at their retailers, but you have to make a top up right away.Top up vouchers are available for 50, 100 or 200 NOK.

Prices and Packages
Default rate for data, if no package is booked or for overuse: 0.99 NOK per MB

Following monthly (30 days) data bundles are available: Bundles will automatically renew if there is credit. To stop dial *190# before expiry. To check data volume, dial *137#
 * 150 MB: 49 NOK. Activation: *139*3001#
 * 325 MB: 99 NOK. Activation: *139*3002#
 * 500 MB:: 149 NOK. Activation: *139*3003#
 * 1 GB: 199 NOK. Activation: *139*3004#

Settings

 * APN: data.lyca-mobile.no
 * Username: lmno
 * Password: plus
 * Take attention of the unusual spelling of Lycamobile online: www.lyca-mobile.no