Zain Jordan has turned to France's Infovista to meet its mobile network testing needs. Infovista will supply software from its TEMS range, which can be used to carry out active testing statically, on foot or in-vehicle, providing KPI data on network quality, efficiency and throughput.

BT has extended its contract to upgrade the communications infrastructure of ABB, the Switzerland-based multinational specializing in robotics, automation and other industrial processes. The contract builds on an existing deal signed in 2014, and will see BT deploying, managing and monitoring more than 1,100 end-point devices. Included in the project will be a new software-driven platform delivered over Wi-Fi 6 to enable mobility and digital manufacturing concepts, such as robotics and IoT technologies at production sites. Ultimately, the revamped infrastructure will connect people and machines at more than 600 facilities in 60 countries.

France-based OVHcloud, which competes against the likes of Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure in the cloud services market, saw first-quarter revenue rise 13.9% year-on-year, to €187 million (US$212.9 million). The company saw its strongest growth in the public cloud segment, with revenue up 24.9% year-on-year on a reported basis. Guidance for FY2022 was confirmed.

Ericsson and UK mobile operator EE are getting together for a 5G-powered extravaganza called the Green Planet AR Experience, which promises to "take guests on an immersive journey into the secret kingdom of plants," a bit like Stevie Wonder did in 1979. A 5G standalone (SA) private network and edge computing infrastructure will be deployed to allow visitors to travel through six "digitally enhanced worlds," drawing on the power of augmented reality technology. The plant-based fun takes place on February 11, at 55 Regent Street in central London.

Vodafone UK has pledged 24 million gigabytes of data to the National Databank, a charity which gives the digitally excluded across the UK access to free data, either through SIM cards or vouchers. According to figures from Ofcom, the UK communications regulator, 6% of UK homes had no Internet access in March 2021, while 4% of children of school age relied solely on mobile Internet access during the pandemic.

— Paul Rainford, Assistant Editor, Europe, Light Reading