AmCham column – Our stories:

Author: Telenor Montenegro General Manager, Untitled Governor of the AmCham Montenegro Board of Governors, Ms. Sandra Štajner 

Working for more than 15 years in the field of telecommunications, I see trends that have evolved over the years in most markets in Europe, including Montenegro. First of all, the telecommunications market is very competitive and increasingly saturated. Secondly, all customers have similar needs and desires, they use the fixed and mobile Internet on a daily basis, and their hunger for data is increasingly difficult to satisfy. And, in the end, no matter how much a market is developed, there is always a space for further growth.

More than two decades ago, when Telenor started operating in Montenegro, mobile voice services were at the beginning and represented an innovation that influenced the entire society. As the first operator on the market, Telenor gradually provided customers in Montenegro with increasingly advanced digital services, almost at the same time as they began to be available in the most developed countries of the world.

Since then, we have gone a long way – it all started with 2G technology, which was enabling only basic functionalities of today’s smartphones. Telenor introduced 3G technology in 2007, when larger data transfers became available. Telenor introduced technology of the next, fourth generation (4G) in Montenegro in 2012, long before it became available in the other countries of the region. Today, Telenor covers 98% of Montenegrin population with 4G signal and advanced 4G+ network is available in most municipalities. 

We are now witnessing rise of “the fourth industrial revolution”, based on the digital economy. Trends in the mobile telephony indicate that the use of mobile internet will continue to grow. It is expected that more than 90% of mobile internet traffic will be realized through mobile phones by 2022. In Montenegro, more than 70% of households have access to the Internet, and almost half of Internet users access the Internet via a mobile telephone network. At the same time, the number of smartphone users is constantly rising.

So, how to use such trends? We, in Telenor, believe that innovation is the primary basis for gaining advantage. And, indeed, if you have a unique, competitive product or a service, you will succeed in achieving even better relationships with customers, and you will achieve excellent business results as well.

In Telenor, we are satisfied with the results we achieved in that sense. We have a high quality network, a strong brand and an attractive offer that differentiates us from our competitors. We continue to innovate, as customers are always eager to get something new and advanced. That’s why we offer them attractive and advanced applications, such as HBO, NBA, Deezer and Nickelodeon, and we are always considering if there is anything new to include in the offer. Therefore, it’s not important that we offer only megabytes to our customers, but also the ability to access rich internet services and content.

For us, the most important thing is not to compromise when it comes to quality of service, because a quality and consistent customers’ experience is the basis of every success. We have nearly 380 thousand customers and the leading position we keep for 22 years to prove it.

Social responsibility is linked to the market development 

The leading position, in fact, depends on the innovations that drive the industry, the market, the social changes, the creation of new jobs … Looking forward to the further growth of the economy and the retail market, we, as leaders, have the responsibility to fully utilize all the resources and the potentials available to us. That is why we welcome each talent in Telenor, without making a difference in relation to age, sex, nationality or religion. It is up to us to create a good working environment, so that talents can be further developed. That’s why we pay close attention to gender equality in our company, we have flexible working hours and we want the families of our employees to feel that we take care of them.

We want to transfer our corporate culture to society. Through the Telenor Foundation, we strive to provide support to the community, to improve the areas that need developmental changes and build a successful business and social environment. Our intention is also supported by the initiatives of our partners, with whom we have been carrying out projects of importance for the whole society. Each of them makes a difference, and I will mention only two:

The application “Klik Podgorica”, which, with our support, was developed by the NGO “Mladi info”, was recognized by the City Administration of Podgorica as a very important tool for citizens and visitors of Podgorica. In a short time, it became a kind of digital guide through the Capital.

The second project I would like to mention is “Digital Literacy for Every Child”, which is implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and UNICEF. Thanks to this project, children in all primary schools in Montenegro will acquire the basics of digital literacy and learn how to use the Internet safely.

We know that we are not alone in these advanced ideas – there are other companies in Montenegro that share a similar vision and responsibility for economic and social development.  If we join our forces and we all work in the same direction, we will improve the business standards throughout the Montenegrin market.