Norwegian state-controlled telecoms group Telenor reported a bigger-than-expected rise in first quarter profits. It forecast today earnings would rise in 2001.
In February Telenor sold its 49 per cent share in Esat Digifone to British Telecom for euro 1.32 billion.
Telenor said first-quarter profits were also swollen by the sale of a stake in Germany's Viag Interkom and leaped to euro 1.3 billion from euro 1 billion in the same period of 2000.
Telenor said it will continue to focus on the development of new services and markets in the mobile communications, broadband services and Internet business areas.