Eurobites: Nokia holds its own in software and services

Still in Finland, go-ahead Elisa has tweaked its 5G remote-control offering for Valva tractors so that the vehicles can now be operated without a driver sitting in the cab when a particularly risky maneuver or task has to be carried out. Elisa says the system works with standard, mass-produced Valva tractors, offering the remote operator (who could be hundreds of miles away) a 360-degree view of the tractor's surroundings.

And yet more Finland: Microsoft is to open a product development unit in the Nokia stronghold of Tampere, bringing up to 30 new jobs to the area. As YLE reports, the facility will focus on development of Microsoft's Surface device, with wireless network technology one of the disciplines being addressed.

Lights, cameras, connectivity... Telia Denmark has teamed up with broadcaster TV2 and specialist lighting company BB&S to test how 5G can be used to make for more efficient lighting setup in the broadcast industry, using just one lamp and 5G connectivity to control all the other lighting and lamps on set wirelessly.

Italian towers company Inwit is joining the STOXX Europe 600 index, which represents large, mid and small capitalization companies across 17 countries of the European region. Inwit says its inclusion is the result of its incorporation with Vodafone Towers. (See Disadvantage Towers? Vodafone plays game of risk.)

Saudi Telecom Company (STC) is to dedicate one of its call centers to the coronavirus cause, dealing with enquiries and processing data relating to Saudi Arabia's COVID-19 track-and-trace app, Tawakkalna. Nearly 7 million Saudis have downloaded the app to date.

— Paul Rainford, Assistant Editor, Europe, Light Reading