Meanwhile, on the private 5G front, Ericsson is teaming up with Telenor to supply networks to Skogforsk, Sweden's forestry research institute. A pilot project will investigate how 5G can be used for remote control of forestry machinery and compare the technology to others available, such as Wi-Fi and 4G.

EE, the UK mobile operator that is part of the BT empire, is launching a new "Stay Connected" feature to new and upgrading customers, which automatically switches customers who have used up their monthly data allowance to a 0.5Mbit/s mobile data connection – fast enough to receive data messages, check emails and consult maps, says EE – rather than leaving them high, dry and dataless. The feature comes at no extra cost to users, though if they want to revert to zippier mobile data they can still buy a data "add-on." Workers in the National Health Service, who have been enjoying unlimited data from EE, will find themselves moved to a 2Mbit/s mobile data connection once they have exceeded their reinstated monthly data allowance.

Nokia has unveiled new "vendor-agnostic" remote eSIM (embedded SIM) and iSIM (integrated SIM) management software that it says enables new 5G mobile and IoT services by simplifying cellular subscription processes through automation. Nokia's software suite, collectively called iSIM Secure Connect, goes on sale this quarter. (See Apple: It's the End of the SIM as We Know It.)

Nokia is also trumpeting its latest transport network win: The Finnish vendor will provide Spanish utility firm Red Eléctrica de España (REE) with an IP/MPLS network and DWDM (dense wave-division multiplexing) optical transport network, which will upgrade REE's existing network. REE is a transmission system operator (TSO) responsible for the transmission of electricity nationwide and its 800-site network is used to manage the grid.

Things are never quiet for long at Telecom Italia (TIM). In the latest exec reshuffle, Stefano Siragusa has been made chief revenue officer, replacing Federico Rigoni, who has left the company by "mutual agreement." Also, Nicola Grassi has been made chief technology and operations officer, and Paolo Chiriotti takes the reins of the procurement department. (See TIM wants another headcount shave – report and Telecom Italia crumbles like a Roman ruin.)

New data reveals that Openreach, the semi-autonomous network access arm of BT, connected more than 950,000 households over the course of its £463 million (US$641 million) Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband rollout program. According to Openreach, this was 150,000 more premises than was originally planned. During the rollout, which began in 2014, engineers laid 16,730km of new cable, including 400km of subsea cable to connect islands, with 5,078 new fiber cabinets offering broadband services at speeds up to 80 Mbbit/s.

Swisscom, along with banking software company Finnova, has been chosen by Radicant, a financial services startup, to provide a "digital foundation" for Radicant's planned market entry in 2022. Swisscom will handle the cloud side of things as well standard processes such as payment transactions.

In Greece, Intracom Telecom has signed a wireless deal with broadband/pay-TV company Nova. Intracom will supply Nova with various microwave and mmWave technology products to boost Nova's "ultra-broadband" offer to business customers.

— Paul Rainford, Assistant Editor, Europe, Light Reading