Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
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22 Telecommunications

22.1 The Norwegian broadcasting fee

Under section 5.1, paragraph a) of the Television Receiver Regulations, members of  missions and career consular officers are exempt from the Norwegian broadcasting fee. Diplomatic missions and consular posts are also exempt. Those who are exempt can apply to the Norwegian Broadcasting Company (NRK) for free licences, which are valid for one year at a time.

If a mission or consular post, member of the staff of a mission, or consular officer receives a request for payment of the broadcasting fee, the diplomatic mission or consular post should inform the NRK Licence Department (“lisenskontoret”) in writing about the exempt status of the recipient so that a free licence can be granted.

The home page of the NRK’s Licence Department.

22.2 Satellite dishes

Please note that the installation of satellite dishes may be subject to special regulations.

Installation of a satellite dish with a diameter of over 1 metre requires special permission. An application should be made to Oslo Municipality’s Planning Department (“Plan- og bygningsetaten”). For further information please call 23 49 10 00 or check the Department’s home page.

22.3 Official communication by radio transmitters

The use of radio transmitters for the official communication of a diplomatic mission requires permission from the competent Norwegian authorities (cf. Article 27 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations).

Missions may – on the basis of reciprocity – be licensed by the Norwegian Post and Telecommunications Authority to install, operate and use radio communications equipment for:

-       official communication with the sending State;

-       security purposes within and around the mission premises; and

-       special visits of VIPs that require special security measures, including the use of radio communications equipment, subject to a time limitation.

A licence application should be submitted with a verbal note to the Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The application should include information on the location and type of equipment, frequencies, call signs, hours of operation, transmitter output power, classes of emission, bandwidth and antenna characteristics, and should be addressed to the Post and Telecommunications Authority (“Post- og teletilsynet”).

Before any changes are made to the parameters of the licensed transmission equipment, a request for permission to make such changes must be made to the Post and Telecommunications Authority via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Post and Telecommunications Authority will investigate any instances of interference cause by a mission’s radio transmitters and may impose such modifications or improvements to the installation as are necessary to resolve the problem.

The installation and operation of radio communications equipment/transmitters must be in conformity with the International Telecommunication Union’s Constitution and Convention, the International Radio Regulations, and any special conditions set by the Norwegian Post and Telecommunications Authority.

The Post and Telecommunications Authority’s home page.

Please note that installation of antennas may in addition require special permission from the municipal authorities. (The contact details for Oslo Municipality Planning Department can be found in paragraph 22.2 above).