Oljefondet har Starlink for «større nedetidsscenarier»

Oljefondet, also known as NBIM, has been using Starlink for its internet connectivity since 2022, according to SMS messages that E24 obtained. This information was shared with E24 by Nicolai Tangen, who ordered the service upon Elon Musk's suggestion. Starlink is one of several alternatives the fund has considered for maintaining communication between its offices in case of significant downtime scenarios.

Despite concerns raised by Telenor and Telia about potential vulnerabilities and risks when Elon Musk limited Ukraine's access to Starlink's internet service from space, Oljefondet maintains that there have been no significant changes in the fund's perception of the technology's vulnerability or risk. The fund uses Starlink primarily as an extra Wi-Fi and guest network for external guests, and it does not rely on satellite communication for daily operations or guest networks.

Oljefondet has also noted that the fund is generally beneficial in using multiple independent technologies for electronic communication, such as fiber connections, mobile broadband, and satellite communication. The fund is generally supportive of the growing market for satellite communication and is a shareholder in SpaceX, which went public in June. As of the first half of the year, SpaceX's shares were worth 12.1 billion Norwegian kroner.

Interestingly, the Norwegian Armed Forces and the Police have recently signed a framework agreement with Marlink, a major partner of Starlink, for 450 million Norwegian kroner. This agreement grants access to Starlink and covers the Norwegian Armed Forces, the Police, PST, and the National Security Agency (NSM). Starlink is already being used for administrative purposes by the Armed Forces, including email communication and internet access, with a total of 180 active subscriptions at the time. However, the armed forces have not experienced any issues with service delivery.