Nova is a telecommunications company operating in Iceland. The company was founded in May 2006, securing a 3G operating licence in March 2007 and formally launching services December 1, 2007, making it the first Icelandic company to offer a 3G network. The company was initially a subsidiary of Icelandic telecoms firm 365 miðlar but later became privately owned. In 2017, Nova was acquired by Pt Capital, an Arctic-focused private equity firm. Since then, Nova has continued to operate as a leading provider of telecommunications services in Iceland.
3G Network
The company has operated its 3G UMTS network over B1 (2100 MHz) since inception in December 2007, upgrading to HSPA+ in August 2013. The network shutdown was announced for 31/12/2025.
3G Frequency Bands
| Network Frequency Band | Status |
|---|---|
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Active
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3G Network Events
| Date | Event | Subtype |
|---|---|---|
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Launch of 3G Network
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Launch
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4G Network
On April 4, 2013, Nova launched its 4G LTE service, the first Icelandic network operator to do so. The network operates over B3 (1800 MHz), and following the establishment of a joint network infrastructure agreement with Vodafone Iceland in 2013, also operates LTE services over B1 (2100 MHz) and B20 (800 MHz) since upgrading the network over 2016 and 2017.
Nova launched LTE-Advanced in October 2017, advertising peak data rates up to 600 Mbps using a 4.5G device. The network is assumed to use 4X4 MIMO and 2C CA_3A-20A to achieve 600 Mbps.
4G Frequency Bands
| Network Frequency Band | Max. Channel Bandwidth | Status |
|---|---|---|
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10
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Active
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|
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20
|
Active
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|
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20
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Active
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4G Network Events
| Date | Event | Subtype |
|---|---|---|
|
|
Launch of 4G Network
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Launch
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5G Network
Nova launched its 5G network in Iceland in July 2020, using 100 MHz of n78 (3500 MHz) spectrum.
5G Frequency Bands
| Network Frequency Band | Max. Channel Bandwidth | Status |
|---|---|---|
|
100
|
Active
|
5G Network Events
| Date | Event | Subtype |
|---|---|---|
|
|
Launch of 5G Network
|
Launch
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