Meanwhile, away from the technology, Telefónica is hoping to show it has a human face too with the signing of a document of intent that commits it to implementing "specific measures" that respect the right of its employees not to be bombarded with work emails and texts in the middle of the night and/or at weekends. The commitment to "digital disconnection" will be rolled out across all the countries where Telefónica operates.

Openreach , BT Group plc (NYSE: BT; London: BTA)'s quasi-autonomous network access unit, is to extend its Gfast network coverage to 81 more exchanges over the next nine months. Download speeds of up to 330 Mbit/s are being promised through the use of the technology, which "turbocharges" existing copper lines, thereby obviating the need to dig up roads. Openreach ultimately plans to reach 5.7 million UK properties with Gfast.

Deutsche Telekom AG (NYSE: DT) has signed a "seven-figure" deal with iPass Inc. (Nasdaq: IPAS), the California-based creator of clever-clogs WiFi technology. The agreement will allow the German incumbent to license iPass's SmartConnect software, which in theory connects subscribers automatically to the best wireless network available. To facilitate the service, DT and iPass will jointly build a dedicated "platform-on-demand."

Telecom Egypt says it is doubling the capacity of its Delta Region DWDM backbone network, using Nokia Corp. (NYSE: NOK)'s 500G DWDM Muxponder, a programmable card that provides wavelength capacities from 50G to 250G per line port. The 200G upgrade, based on Nokia's Photonic Service Engine coherent digital signal processor, will benefit both fixed-line and LTE mobile subscribers.

A top insolvency expert has been called in by the administrators of defunct phone retailer Phones 4u to investigate allegations that UK mobile operators O2, Vodafone and EE colluded in their decisions to pull their products from the retailers' stores, a move which some Phones 4u creditors blame for the company's demise. As the Telegraph reports, Paul Copley was called in by PwC, which has been acting as the administrator of Phones 4u for more than four years.

— Paul Rainford, Assistant Editor, Europe, Light Reading