You wait ages for a 5G-powered bus then half a dozen come along at once. At least that's what it feels like, with a number of operators announcing 5G-referencing remote-controlled transport trials in recent months. Now it's the turn of Ericsson, Telia, Intel and others, who have combined to create the "5G Ride" minibus on Stockholm's tourist-friendly island of Djurgården. As long as they observe strict COVID-19-related regulations, members of the public are allowed to ride in the minibus, which is powered by Ericsson Radio System software and told where to go from a nearby control tower. Figure 1: Sweden's Prince Daniel deploys the Royal Scissors to declare Stockholm's "5G Ride" ready to roll.
(Source: Telia)

Orange is launching a major push to get its customers recycle their old phones, rather than leaving them to gather dust in the drawers of their bedside table. Launching in France on Sunday (September 27), the campaign will then be rolled out in Belgium, Luxembourg, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Spain, in a bid to persuade customers to take their unwanted devices back to their local Orange store, where the recycling process can begin. Orange says that in ten years it has already collected more than 15 milllion unused mobile phones around the world.

Relevant ministers of the coalition Italian government met up yesterday (Thursday) to chew over the best ways of keeping its communications networks safe, Reuters reports. According to one source cited, the familiar Huawei Question was on the agenda.

BBC Sounds, the popular radio catch-up and podcast app, is launching on Freeview Play devices, allowing those with the appropriate TV/set-top to enjoy their audio content through their telly's sound system, should they so desire. Freeview Play's backers claim it is the UK's fastest-growing TV platform, with over 11 million devices sold.

— Paul Rainford, Assistant Editor, Europe, Light Reading