Telia is Norway’s first operator to roll out a nationwide 5G network – and the resulting 102% increase in data traffic, alongside a 44% reduction in energy usage, highlight the benefits for both customers and the environment.

Telia achieved 99% population coverage with its Norwegian 5G network in December 2024, only four years after switching on the country’s first 5G base stations in the town of Lillestrøm. Today, 5G accounts for almost half of all mobile data traffic carried by Telia in Norway.

Unsurprisingly, the technology’s high speeds, low latency, and improved stability and security have led to a major hike in traffic from the base year 2022. So why is electricity consumption per terabyte dramatically down over the same period?

Georg Svendsen, Head of Infrastructure, Telia Norway: “5G spectrum is much more efficient in transporting data, which allows us to save significantly on electricity. At the same time, we’ve implemented a range of smart measures that can be as simple as putting base stations into sleep mode at night, when demand is lower. In this way, we use resources more effectively without compromising the customer experience.”

In early 2025, Telia topped a benchmarking of operators in Norway by Rohde & Schwarz, a provider of mobile network testing solutions. From a possible 1,000 NPS points, Telia scored 829, one of the best results anywhere in the world.

With total mobile data traffic in Telia’s networks expected to double between 2022 and 2026, Telia has committed to limiting its overall electricity consumption increase to 7%, and to reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. Since 2020, Telia’s networks have been powered by 100% renewable energy.