25 years of Tampnet

For 25 years, Tampnet has been at the heart of offshore connectivity, building infrastructure that enables safer, more efficient, and increasingly digital operations at sea. From early subsea fibre deployments in the North Sea to today's advanced global networks supporting energy, maritime and data-driven industries, our journey has been shaped by continuous innovation and long-term partnerships.

In this blog, we look back at some of the key milestones that have defined Tampnet's development - and the role connectivity continues to play in powering the next chapter. 

Tampnet is established 

2001 
Equinor (then Statoil) established Tampnet to build and operate a subsea fibre network in the Tampen area of the Norwegian North Sea. The company was created to meet the offshore industry's growing need for reliable, high-capacity communications. From the start, the focus was on safety, operational efficiency, and long-term infrastructure. 

This marked the beginning of Tampnet as a dedicated connectivity provider. 

Completion of the North Sea ring

2003
Tampnet completed one of its earlier major infrastructure projects with the Oseberg-Grane fibre connection. This created a robust ring topology in the North Sea, improving redundancy and reliability. The network design laid the foundation for scalable offshore communications. It also strengthened connectivity between key offshore assets. 

First major contract with Shell

2003
Tampnet secured its first major external customer contract with Shell in the northern part of the North Sea. This agreement validated Tampnet's business model and technical capability, and marked an important commercial milestone that accelerated further network expansion. 

The contract established Tampnet as a trusted partner to international energy operators. 

Expansion east of Shetland

2007 
Tampnet expanded its footprint beyond Norway through contracts with ExxonMobil and Shell east of Shetland. This move represented a strategic step into the UK Continental Shelf. The expansion demonstrated Tampnet's ability to operate across borders and regulatory regimes. It also strengthened the company's position as a regional connectivity provider. 

First offshore LTE pilot

2012
Tampnet carried out its first LTE pilot offshore, introducing mobile broadband to the offshore environment. This represented a shift from fixed-only communication to mobile services. The pilot demonstrated the feasibility of high-speed mobile connectivity at sea. It opened the door to new digital use cases offshore. 

Major fibre expansion

2013
Tampnet completed a major fibre expansion of approximately 300 km in the North Sea. The expansion demonstrated Tampnet's subsea engineering capabilities, as well as managing complex, turnkey subsea fibre projects. The expansion supported multiple tier one customers and significant traffic growth. It increased capacity and resilience, while creating a number of additional sites for 4G base stations and offshore coverage. 

This investment prepared the network for next-generation services. 

Commercial offshore LTE launch

2013
Following successful pilots, Tampnet commercially launched offshore LTE services. This brought reliable mobile broadband to offshore platforms, rigs and vessels. LTE provides a wireless extension of fibre connectivity to high data consumers and enabled new digital tools, improved workforce communication, and enhanced security.  

Consolidation through acquisition

2014
Tampnet entered a consolidation phase by acquiring offshore network assets from TeliaSonera and BP. These acquisitions significantly increased network scale and customer reach, and reduced infrastructure duplication in the offshore market. As a result, Tampnet strengthened its position as a leading offshore network operator. 

Gulf of Mexico/America expansion

2015
Tampnet expanded its Gulf of Mexico/Gulf of America network footprint and services. Infrastructure investments supported growing demand from offshore operators. The region became a key growth market for the company, and this expansion balanced Tampnet's geographical portfolio. 

FCC approval and deepwater LTE

2016
Tampnet received FCC approval for deepwater 4G/LTE deployment in the US. An agreement with BP to leverage their deepwater fibre infrastructure for 4G/LTE backhaul that supported further rollout, coverage and growth. This enabled mobile connectivity in some of the most challenging offshore environments. 

It was a major regulatory and technical milestone. 

Stay tuned as we continue counting down the 25 moments that shaped Tampnet to what we are today