Vodafone has launched a 5G standalone standardized mobile private network offering, the first of its kind in the UK, according to the operator. The kit of parts includes indoor and outdoor RAN infrastructure, on-site core infrastructure and a network management platform, among other things. Of course, the operator has already deployed several mobile private networks across the UK, in factories, innovation hubs and at a natural gas plant, for example, so this new offering seems to represent a formalization of what it has already supplied in a more ad hoc form.

Orange is confirming its financial guidance for 2023 after first-quarter revenues grew 1.3% year-over-year to €10.61 billion (US$11.21 billion). EBITDAaL (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization, after leases) was up 0.5%, to €2.59 billion ($2.86 billion). Orange's Africa & Middle East region was the main contributor to this growth, recording a 9.1% increase in revenues: on its home turf of France, however, revenues were 1.8% lower.

Also confirming its outlook is Dutch operator KPN, which saw adjusted EBITDAaL slip 1.6%, to €584 million ($645 million), on revenues that climbed 1.9%, to €1.33 billion ($1.46 billion). The Consumer Fixed segment proved a drag on the numbers, declining 1.7% year-over-year, to €449 million ($496 million). Mobile service revenues, however, were up 3.4%, to €196 million ($216 million).

Sweden's Telia laid the blame for the slight decline in its domestic first-quarter EBITDA on the rise in energy costs – a familiar lament now among European telcos. However, at a group level EBITDA increased 0.8% to 7.25 billion Swedish kronor ($703 million), on revenues that climbed 5.7%, to SEK23.06 billion ($2.23 billion). Telia's outlook for 2023 remains unchanged.

Nokia's head of IP policy, Collette Rawnsley, has criticized draft EU rules on standard essential patents (SEPs) as unfair, claiming they are "one-sided" as they will lead to "burdens and costs falling on SEP owners rather than implementers." As Reuters reports, she added that the revised rules could also lead to Europe losing its lead in the cellular patents sphere.

Back in the day job, Nokia has upgraded the IP core network of TDC NET, a Danish digital infrastructure company. TDC NET deployed Nokia's 7750 SR-s routers, which are powered by the Finnish vendor's FP5 routing silicon.

The UK government just can't get enough of artificial intelligence (AI). Just hours after trumpeting the creation of an AI taskforce, government agency Innovate UK has announced Bridge AI, a new £100 million ($124.7 million) fund which aims to drive growth and competitiveness in the UK economy through the adoption of AI and its less fashionable cousin, machine learning (ML). Agriculture, construction, transportation and the creative industries have been identified as the key areas of focus for the BridgeAI program. So not telecom then, unless it counts as a creative industry…

The European Commission has named the online platforms and search engines that will fall under its official "Very Large" designation and therefore be subject to the full set of new obligations under the terms of the Digital Services Act. The full list of 17 Very Large Online Platforms and two Very Large Online Search Engines (meaning that they have more than 45 million monthly active users) is as follows: Alibaba AliExpress, Amazon Store, Apple AppStore, Bing, Booking.com, Facebook, Google Play, Google Maps, Google Search, Google Shopping, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitter, Wikipedia, YouTube and Zalando.

— Paul Rainford, Assistant Editor, Europe, Light Reading