OSLO (Thomson Financial) – Norwegian Air Shuttle said it is to launch its own mobile phone division, to be known as ‘Call Norwegian’, and that it expects to start providing telephone services during the last quarter of 2008. While airlines have been known to form marketing partnerships with telephone companies this is perhaps the first time one has created its own wholly owned subsidiary.

‘The company will be run as an individual and independent company, but will work closely with the airline,” it said. According to Norwegian, the new firm will be a web-based mobile telephone company, and the products will be focused on primary mobile telephone services. It will focus on the airline’s existing customer base by offering mobile phone coverage, wireless internet on board its aircrafts, as well as travel solutions and information to passengers through mobile services and mobile Voice-over-IP phone services. A government permit is required to start a mobile phone company in Norway, and Norwegian said the application process is already underway.