5G comes in to land

AIRPORTS group Aena and Cellnex Telecom are launching the first private network based on 5G technology at Spanish airports.

The pilot project at San Sebastian airport in the north of Spain is one of the first at a European airport, Aena announced.

The agreement with Aena will takes Cellnex a step forward in developing a strategy based on organic growth within the company rather than the multi­million acquisition of telecommunications infrastructure it has made recent years.

Aena regards 5G as a key technology in its digital transformation process, a source at the state­owned company explained.

THE UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has rebuked Sainsbury’s and Asda for irregular land agreements that hindered rival chains from opening up nearby.

It had found a total of 32 examples where the chains had placed restrictions on land agreements which, the regulator said, were anti­competitive.

Sainsbury’s and Asda respectively hold the second and third highest market shares in the UK, but both had breached the Groceries Market Investigation (Controlled Land) Order 2010, the CMA said.

This had been brought in precisely to

Connectivity at its airports has existed for years, but the new technology would enable the development of applications in important fields, Aena said.

These included the advancement of the internet of things (IoT), which connects and exchanges data with other devices and systems via the internet.

Big players’ stitch-up

stop supermarkets imposing new restrictions to stop rivals from opening competing stores nearby.

“By ensuring that supermarkets can compete freely, the CMA is ensuring that shoppers have more choice and so benefit from a wider range of groceries and access to cheaper prices,” the watchdog said.

TUFAN ERGINBILGIC, chief executive who took over £12 billion (€14 billion) engineering company RollsRoyce in January, has joint British and Turkish citizenship.

Owing to his dual nationality, Erginbilgic cannot access top secret UK government documents relating to its submarines business, RollsRoyce sources told the Guardian Rolls­Royce’s submarines division builds the nuclear reactors powering Britain’s submarines, including the Vanguard armed with nuclear warheads, and Whitehall security protocols prevent him from viewing ‘UK eyes only’ documents.

Chris Cholerton, the group’s president since March, has instead been given responsibility for handling sensitive information.

Pilot scheme

SPAIN’S BBVA bank is trialling a scheme to close less­used urban branches for two or three days each week.

This does not affect staff, who provide support for busier branches in the same locality, BBVA sources explained.

The pilot scheme is currently operating at 12 branches in Valencia, according to unions quoted in financial daily, Expansion.

The bank ‘constantly’ tries out new projects, it insisted, adding that the current trial did not entail staff reductions or branch closures. Neither did it mean that BBVA would leave more towns in future.