Eurobites: EU proposes a more level playing field for data access

The European Telecommunications Network Operators' Association (ETNO) says it supports the EU's proposals, though it cautions that data-sharing agreements between the public and private sectors should be "based on reasonable terms in order to offer long-term sustainable solutions, including the possibility for operators to achieve a fair return on investments made in collecting and generating data insights."

Telecom Italia (TIM) is considering selling its 15.4% stake in towers firm Inwit to Ardian, a French investment fund, according to a Reuters report. The report says that TIM could raise €1.3 billion (US$1.5 billion) from such a deal. Back in the here and now, TIM is facing strike action from thousands of its workers, some of whom took to the streets on Wednesday to voice their concern about proposed changes to the structure of the Italian incumbent operator. (See TIM appoints new CFO as plan takes shape.)

Orange has joined the board of the Telecom Infra Project (TIP) in the person of Laurent Leboucher, Group CTO and senior vice president of Orange Innovation Networks. Founded in 2016, TIP is a Facebook-led community of organizations looking to advance global connectivity. (See Facebook's TIP Is Desperate to Add Friends.)

In other Orange news, the French group's cyberdefense unit has joined the Microsoft Intelligent Security Association (MISA), a group of software vendors and managed security service providers who share threat intelligence and other resources for the collective greater good.

France's Transatel has unveiled advances in its SIM technology that it says enables any device to securely connect to both private networks and public cellular network across the globe. Normally, private networks are by their very nature kept separate from public ones, but Transatel says that its "unique set of APIs" enable its SIM to automatically switch between the two types of networks, according to need.

Among other wizardry being lugged to Barcelona by Nokia for Mobile World Congress next week is its new UBT-T XP Dual Band radio, the latest addition to its Wavence range. The UBT-T XP supports the low-frequency spectrum bands 6GHz to 11GHz and is suitable for full outdoor or split-mount configurations.

Ericsson is teaming up with TDC NET, Relatel and TDC Erhverv for a pilot that will explore how 5G-connected drones can help streamline the business operations of four Danish companies, namely TV2, Connect 44, Lorenz Technology and Openhouse. The pilot started on February 15 and will run until May.

Germany's ADVA, which looks like it will soon be part of Adtran, has enjoyed a healthy fourth quarter, with revenues up 12.2% year-on-year, to €157.7 million ($176.2 million). Operating income, however, was down 14.5%, being adversely affected by extraordinary expenses relate to the proposed Adtran merger. (See Adtran, ADVA to pursue merger amid fiber upswing.)

— Paul Rainford, Assistant Editor, Europe, Light Reading