Síminn

Síminn hf.

Company type	Hlutafélag
Traded as	Nasdaq Iceland:SIMINN
Industry	Telecommunications,Entertainment,Infrastructure,IT
Founded	1906(1906)(asLandssími Íslands) 1935(1935)(Merged with Icelandic Post) 1998(1998)(Demerger from Icelandic Post) 2005(2005)(Privatisation)
Headquarters	Reykjavík,Iceland
Key people	Jón Sigurðsson,Chairman Orri Hauksson,President&CEO Óskar HaukssonCFO
Products	Fixed line,Mobile,Internet,xDSL,GPON,IPnetwork,Television,Streaming media
Revenue	23.232 billionISK(2018)
Number of employees	300
Website	siminn.is

Síminn hf.(Iceland Telecom), previously namedLandssíminnandPóstur og Sími,is anIcelandictelecommunicationscompany. It offers communication services for both private and corporate clients, including mobile (2G/3G/4G/5G), landline (VoIP/POTS), Internet (ADSL/VDSL/FTTH) and IPTV services. Síminn also operates multiple TV channels and streaming services. Síminn is listed on the Icelandic stock exchange.

Síminn operates a5G/4G/3G/2Gmobile network reaching over 99% of Iceland's population. In 2018, Síminn was the largest wireless carrier in Iceland with a market share of 34,5%. Síminn has a partnership withEricssonin infrastructure deployment in its mobile network.

History

Síminn is theprivatisedsector of Iceland's previouslystate ownedincumbentpostal and telecom operator,Póstur og Símiand later,Landssíminn.The Iceland State Telephone Service was founded the same year as telephone technology arrived in Iceland, in 1906. In 1935, the telephone and postal services were consolidated. In 1998, they were again separated, and the companyLandssíminn,(Iceland Telecom Ltd) was split fromÍslandspóstur(Icelandic Postal Service).

1906 Telegraph Cable

In 1906, asubmarine telegraph cablewas laid by theGreat Northern Telegraph Co.fromScotlandthrough theFaroe Islandsto Iceland, where it came ashore on the east coast atSeyðisfjörður.In conjunction a telegraph and telephone line, was laid from the landing point to the capital cityReykjavík.

Telephony

The people ofReykjavíkwere quick to adopt the telephone. In 1912, the total number of telephone users in the town was 300. In 1932, the firstautomatic telephone exchangesin Iceland were opened. The laying of telephone lines in rural areas was completed around 1960. In 1986, all telephones in the country were connected to automatic telephone exchanges. The laying offibre-optic cablesaround the country began in 1985. The first digital telephone exchanges were opened in 1984, and this technology extended to all telephone exchanges 11 years later.In 2022, Síminn has begun the shutdown of thePSTN/POTSservice, transferring customers toVoIPservices, intending to be completed by the end of 2022.

Direct international dialling

Short-wave telephone communications with other countries were opened in 1935. The submarine cables, SCOTICE and ICECAN, between Scotland and Iceland and Canada and Iceland were opened in 1962. The cable allowed international subsea telephone calls and telex services to be established in Iceland. In 1980, the Skyggnirsatellite ground stationcame online, and telephone calls to other countries then went via satellite andinternational direct dialling (IDD)to other countries became possible for the first time. In 1994, a new submarine cable,CANTAT-3,was opened.

Mobile Telephony

The1GNMTsystem went into operation in 1986 (closed in 2010), and the2GGSMsystem launching in 1994.3Gwas launched in 2007,4Gin 2013and mid-band5Gin 2021

Internet Services

In 1998, ADSL broadband was put into operation by Landssíminn. In early 2004, Iceland Telecom deployed its IPTV service to selected areas with ADSL service. The IPTV service includes Live TV and Video on Demand a move to answer customers' requests for bundled television, broadband and telephony services, which would signal Iceland Telecom's entry into the world of "triple-play" (integrated telephone, television and broadband offerings), distributing digital television content via the ADSL system. In 2009, Síminn launched its 'Ljósnet' service built onVDSLandFTTH(GPON)fibretechnology. Initially offering 50Mb services, later upgraded to 100Mb for VDSL and 1000Mb for FTTH/GPON services. FTTH services reached 105,000 households in 2021.

Privatization and sale of Míla

In July 2005, the Icelandic government privatized Landssími Íslands and sold its 98.8% share to Skipti ehf. In December 2005, three companies, Landssími Íslands, Íslenska sjónvarpsfélagið (The Icelandic Television Company) and the parent company, Skipti ehf., merged and the name was subsequently changed to Síminn hf. In March 2007 the following proposals of Siminn's board were approved: A new parent company called Skipti hf. was introduced and Síminn was split into three companies: Síminn hf. the main operating company; Fasteignafélagið Jörfi ehf, a real estate company, and Míla ehf which owns and operates the national trunk and access networks in Iceland. The new structural change took effect from 31 October 2006.

In 2021, Míla ehf., Síminn's infrastructure arm was sold toArdian,raising 46 billionISK,raising questions about national security infrastructure being sold to foreign investors.

Competition

The state-owned Póstur og Sími had a monopoly on most telecommunications services until 1998. That year, a new law came into effect, and the market opened for competition. The first competitor was TAL, offering mobile services at reduced prices. Others followed, the biggest one beingÍslandssími.TheISPmarket the competition saw many new providers entering the market, such as Halló!, Margmiðlun, Skíma, Skrín, Snerpa, Íslandía,365 Media,HIVE,NOVA,Hringdu and Miðheimar. In 2003 TAL, Íslandssími and Halló! merged under the nameOg Vodafone.Og Vodafone has since then bought a few Icelandicinternet service providersincluding TAL and365.On 06 October 2006, Og Vodafone changed its name toVodafone Iceland.

See also

• Telecommunications in Iceland
• Internet in Iceland
• Swedish telephone plugs & sockets– the old five-port Swedishtelefonjackconnector can still be seen in some older Icelandic installations

External links

• Official website