Kjell Morten Johnsen, EVP & Head of Europe at Telenor Group, told Mobile World Live that competition in the Danish market is “very tough”, and profitability is “very challenged”, as the company looks to merge its operations in the country with those of TeliaSonera.

In a wide-ranging interview, the executive also talked about 5G and the performance of VimpelCom.

With regard to Denmark, Johnsen (pictured) said that “the only way to get a decent cash flow” and to “sustain decent development in the market” is to “get a bit more scale” – which is what they are hoping to achieve with the merger.

“We will be able to have scale on network operations, and a more efficient distribution system in what I believe will continue to be an extremely competitive market,” he continued.

As for regulatory approval, he said his company will have an open dialogue with the authorities and try to find a good compromise.

“We will file our application, wait for the response and take it from there,” the executive said.

The full video can be seen here.