Míla

Míla is an Icelandic telecommunications infrastructure company focused on operating and maintaining fixed and mobile network assets rather than selling retail communications services directly to consumers. Its infrastructure includes Iceland's largest national telecommunications trunk network, copper and fibre access networks, and a radio access network. The company provides wholesale connectivity to internet service providers, data centres and other telecommunications operators across Iceland. Míla was established in 2007 when the physical trunk and access networks of Síminn, Iceland's former incumbent telecommunications operator, were separated into a distinct company. The structural arrangement was comparable in broad terms to the separation of Openreach from BT: the network infrastructure became an independently identified business while retail and service activities remained associated with the incumbent's wider telecommunications operations. Míla initially remained under the ownership of the former incumbent and its corporate successors. The company's network assets include a national fibre backbone, leased-line services and legacy copper infrastructure. Míla's domestic fibre backbone is based in part on a fibre ring that encircles Iceland and broadly follows the country's Route 1 ring road. The original ring was built between 1989 and 1991 by the Icelandic Government and NATO to connect radar stations belonging to Iceland's air-defence system. It contains eight fibres, five of which are owned by Míla. Over time, the original routes have been duplicated or replaced across much of the country, and Míla's fibre network has extended to almost all Icelandic towns. The company also operates microwave transmission facilities. In the access market, Míla supplies wholesale fibre connectivity using GPON and XGS-PON technologies for households and businesses. Internet service providers use this infrastructure to offer retail broadband, with nominal fibre speeds reaching 1 Gbit/s for much of the network. In 2023, Míla began making 10 Gbit/s household service available, marking a further progression from conventional gigabit fibre access. The company also inherited the incumbent's copper access network, which historically supported analogue telephone, ISDN, ADSL and VDSL services. VDSL was introduced in 2009 with stated speeds of approximately 50 to 100 Mbit/s. The transition from legacy networks to fibre is a central feature of Míla's current infrastructure strategy. Analogue telephone and ISDN services on the copper network were shut down in 2022. In 2024, Míla announced a wider copper-network retirement programme, including the progressive closure of DSL connections through 2028. This reflects the broader shift in Icelandic telecommunications toward fibre-based fixed access and away from ageing copper technologies. Míla was sold in 2022 to Ardian, a French private-equity firm. Under Ardian ownership, Míla remains an infrastructure-focused telecommunications business serving the Icelandic market. Its role is primarily that of a wholesale network operator and national connectivity platform, supporting other communications companies rather than functioning principally as a consumer-facing retail brand.

Míla's origins lie in the reorganisation of Iceland's incumbent telecommunications system. Iceland's historic telecommunications operator, Síminn, traced its institutional history to 1906. In 1998, the telecommunications business was separated from postal operations, which became associated with Iceland Post. Síminn was subsequently privatised in 2005 through its sale to Skipti hf. In 2007, the physical network assets of the incumbent were separated from the associated retail and service activities and placed in a new company called Míla. The separation created a dedicated infrastructure operator responsible for the country's trunk and access networks. The model broadly resembled the division of a telecommunications incumbent's network business from its customer-facing operations, allowing network capacity to be supplied to service providers while the infrastructure remained managed as a distinct business. Míla inherited a telecommunications system that combined several generations of technology. Its most important national asset was a fibre backbone encircling Iceland and generally following the route of the country's Ring Road. The original fibre ring had been constructed from 1989 to 1991 by the Icelandic Government and NATO to connect radar stations forming part of Iceland's air-defence system. The ring consisted of eight fibres, five owned by Míla. As demand for communications capacity increased, many original routes were duplicated or replaced, and the company's fibre footprint expanded to reach almost all Icelandic towns. Míla also maintained a microwave transmission network and a radio access network. The company inherited the former incumbent's copper access network as well as the newer fibre infrastructure. Copper supported traditional plain old telephone service and ISDN before those services were retired. It also supported ADSL and later VDSL broadband. Míla introduced VDSL in 2009, with stated connection speeds of between 50 and 100 Mbit/s. Fibre gradually became the principal technology for new and upgraded fixed access, with GPON and XGS-PON used to provide wholesale connectivity to homes and businesses. Míla's commercial role has primarily been wholesale. It offers network access and leased-line services to internet service providers, data centres and other telecommunications companies in Iceland. Its leased-line portfolio includes Ethernet, DWDM, STM and E-carrier services. Rather than positioning itself principally as a retail internet or mobile brand, Míla functions as a shared infrastructure platform on which other communications businesses can build customer services. A major technological transition began with the retirement of legacy copper services. Analogue telephone and ISDN services were shut down in 2022. In the same year, ownership of Míla changed when the company was sold to Ardian, a French private-equity firm. This transaction ended its period under the ownership of the former incumbent and placed the infrastructure company under an independent financial owner. Míla continued expanding the capabilities of its fibre access network after the ownership change. In 2023, it began offering 10 Gbit/s household service, extending the network beyond nominal 1 Gbit/s offerings. In 2024, the company announced a full copper phase-out, with DSL connections scheduled for rolling closure through 2028. The announced programme represents a shift from maintaining parallel copper and fibre systems toward a predominantly fibre-based national access network. Today, Míla is an active Icelandic telecommunications infrastructure company. Its national trunk network, fibre and copper access systems, radio facilities and microwave links support connectivity throughout Iceland. The company's historical development reflects the liberalisation and structural separation of Iceland's former state-linked incumbent, while its present direction is defined by wholesale access, nationwide fibre coverage and the retirement of legacy copper technology.

• 2024

  Full copper phase-out announced

  [1]Mílaen.wikipedia.org

  Míla announced a rolling programme to close DSL connections and phase out its copper access network through 2028.

• 2023

  10 Gbit/s household fibre service introduced

  [1]Mílaen.wikipedia.org

  Míla began offering 10 Gbit/s household service through its fibre access network.

• 2022

  Ownership transfers to Ardian

  [1]Mílaen.wikipedia.org

  Míla was sold to Ardian, a French private-equity firm.

• 2022

  Analogue telephone and ISDN services shut down

  [1]Mílaen.wikipedia.org

  The company discontinued analogue telephone and ISDN services on its copper network.

• 2009

  VDSL services introduced

  [1]Mílaen.wikipedia.org

  Míla introduced VDSL over its copper access network, with stated speeds of approximately 50 to 100 Mbit/s.

• 2007

  Míla is established

  [1]Mílaen.wikipedia.org

  The former incumbent's physical trunk and access networks were separated into the new company Míla.

• 2005

  Síminn is privatised

  [1]Mílaen.wikipedia.org

  The incumbent telecommunications operator was privatised through its sale to Skipti hf., preceding the later creation of Míla as a separate network company.

• 1998

  Telecommunications separated from postal operations

  [1]Mílaen.wikipedia.org

  Iceland's incumbent telecommunications business was separated from postal operations, which became associated with Iceland Post.

• 1991

  National fibre ring completed

  [1]Mílaen.wikipedia.org

  The fibre ring was completed after being built between 1989 and 1991 to connect radar stations in Iceland's air-defence system.

• 1989

  Construction begins on the national fibre ring

  [1]Mílaen.wikipedia.org

  The Icelandic Government and NATO began constructing the fibre ring that would become an important part of the country's national telecommunications backbone.

• 1906

  Origins of Iceland's incumbent telecommunications system

  [1]Mílaen.wikipedia.org

  The institutional history of Iceland's former incumbent telecommunications operator, later associated with Míla's inherited network assets, dates back to 1906.

A national wholesale telecommunications-infrastructure operator providing essential fixed, mobile and transmission-network capacity across Iceland.

• Telecommunications backbone

  National trunk network

  Míla operates Iceland's largest national trunk telecommunications network. Its backbone includes fibre routes extending around the country, with routes broadly following the Ring Road, as well as microwave transmission facilities. The network provides national transport capacity for internet service providers, data centres and other communications companies. Parts of the original fibre ring were developed for government and NATO air-defence communications before being expanded, duplicated or replaced for wider civilian telecommunications use.

• Fixed broadband infrastructure

  Wholesale fibre access

  Míla provides wholesale fibre access to households and businesses through GPON and XGS-PON technologies. Internet service providers use the network to deliver retail broadband services, with nominal speeds reaching 1 Gbit/s across much of the offering and 10 Gbit/s household service introduced in 2023. The fibre network reaches almost all Icelandic towns and is the principal focus of the company's fixed-access expansion.

• Enterprise connectivity

  Leased-line services

  Míla supplies wholesale leased-line and transmission services to telecommunications operators, internet service providers and data centres. Its stated technologies and service types include Ethernet, dense wavelength-division multiplexing, synchronous transport network services and E-carrier. These offerings provide dedicated or high-capacity links for business, carrier and data-centre connectivity across Iceland.

• Legacy fixed access

  Copper access network

  The copper access network inherited from Iceland's former incumbent historically supported plain old telephone service, ISDN, ADSL and VDSL broadband. VDSL was introduced in 2009 with stated speeds of 50 to 100 Mbit/s. Analogue telephone and ISDN services were shut down in 2022, and Míla announced a rolling retirement of DSL connections and a full copper phase-out through 2028.

• Wireless telecommunications infrastructure

  Radio access network

  Míla owns and operates a radio access network as part of its broader national telecommunications infrastructure portfolio. The referenced material identifies the network as one of the company's principal infrastructure areas, alongside its fibre, copper, trunk and microwave systems, but does not specify particular generations, technologies or retail services.

• 2024

  Full copper-network phase-outStrategy

  Background

  Míla was operating a legacy copper access network alongside its expanding GPON and XGS-PON fibre network. Earlier analogue telephone and ISDN services had already been retired.

  Action taken

  Míla announced a rolling closure of DSL connections and a full copper phase-out scheduled to continue through 2028.

  Aftermath

  The decision set a long-term direction toward a predominantly fibre-based fixed-access network, although the referenced material does not provide detailed implementation results.

  Source

• 2023

  Introduction of 10 Gbit/s household fibre serviceProduct launch

  Background

  Míla's fibre access network had nominally supported household and business services at speeds of up to 1 Gbit/s.

  Action taken

  Míla began offering 10 Gbit/s service to households through its wholesale fibre network.

  Aftermath

  The move increased the maximum stated household capacity of Míla's fibre-access offering and reinforced the company's transition toward higher-capacity fibre infrastructure.

  Source

• 2022

  Sale of Míla to ArdianM&A

  Background

  Míla had remained under the ownership of the former incumbent telecommunications group since its creation as a separate network company in 2007.

  Action taken

  The company was sold to Ardian, a French private-equity firm.

  Aftermath

  Míla became an independently owned telecommunications infrastructure business while continuing to operate Icelandic trunk, access and radio networks.

  Source

• 2022

  Retirement of analogue telephone and ISDN servicesStrategy

  Background

  Míla's inherited copper network had historically supported analogue telephone and ISDN services in addition to broadband technologies.

  Action taken

  The company shut down analogue telephone and ISDN services on the copper network.

  Aftermath

  The shutdown advanced the migration away from legacy copper-based communications toward fibre and other modern network technologies.

  Source

• 2024

  Míla announces a rolling copper and DSL phase-out[1]Mílaen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Míla announced a programme to retire its copper access network and close DSL connections on a rolling basis through 2028 as fibre deployment expands.

• 2023

  Míla begins offering 10 Gbit/s household fibre service[1]Mílaen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch · Product generation

  Míla began offering 10 Gbit/s fibre service to households through its wholesale access network, extending the company's fibre proposition beyond nominal 1 Gbit/s services.

• 2022

  Ardian acquires Míla[1]Mílaen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Míla was sold to Ardian, a French private-equity firm, ending its period under the ownership of the former incumbent telecommunications group.

• 2022

  Míla shuts down analogue telephone and ISDN services[1]Mílaen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The company completed the shutdown of analogue telephone and ISDN services on its inherited copper access network as part of the migration toward modern fixed-network technologies.

1. 1Mílaen.wikipedia.org