MegaFon, one of Russia's "big three" mobile operators, reported a 4.5% increase in sales and a 20.6% rise in operating income (before depreciation and amortization) for its second quarter, compared with the year-earlier period. With revenues of 85.6 billion Russian rubles ($1.3 billion), and operating income reaching RUB38.9 billion ($590 million), the company had 77.6 million customers across its footprint in Russia and central Asia at the end of June. CEO Gevork Vermishyan hailed progress on digital transformation, drawing attention to a recent agreement with Chinese Internet giant Alibaba for the creation of a Russian ecommerce venture called AliExpress. The update comes weeks after rival MTS was reported to have signed a deal with Chinese equipment behemoth Huawei for the construction of a 5G network in Russia. Locals may soon be swapping blinis and vodka for dim sum and Tsingtao beer.

As Europeans get their first taste of 5G services, Austrian authorities are waking up to the possible health risks posed by mobile technology. The country's parliament has accordingly commissioned a study on "5G mobile communications and health" from the Austrian Academy of Sciences and the Austrian Institute of Technology. Results will be published on the parliament's website by January 2020 -- about nine months after the country's 5G spectrum auction -- allowing citizens to read all about the downsides on their 5G-connected devices.

German operator Freenet clung to its full-year guidance of stable revenues after reporting a 2.8% increase in sales for the second quarter, to about €1.4 billion ($1.6 billion), compared with the year-earlier period. The operator, which provides mobile and TV services in Germany, also continues to expect earnings (before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization) of between €420 million ($471 million) and €440 million ($493 million), after making exactly €441.3 million ($494.5 million) in 2018. Second-quarter earnings were up 10.5% year-on-year, to €215.5 million ($241.5 million), thanks largely to positive regulatory effects (it's not often that happens). Freenet said its overall subscriber base grew by 62,000 customers in the first six months of the year, giving it 8.224 million customers in total.

— Iain Morris, International Editor, Light Reading