Ericsson AB (Nasdaq: ERIC) has further added to its Service Provider Information Technology (SPIT) capabilities by forming a "global OSS/BSS partnership" with middleware specialist Tibco Software Inc. (Nasdaq: TIBX). The Swedish vendor, which recently announced its third quarter financials, has been bolstering its Support Solutions business unit, which includes all of its OSS and BSS assets, with strategic targeted acquisitions and investments, but on this occasion it has opted for an industrial collaboration. The relationship gives Ericsson an extra option to offer communications service providers, and other customers, as it seeks to win network and business transformation projects by combining its technology and professional services capabilities, and also gives it a well-known and trusted middleware solution that can be pitched against rival offerings from the likes of Oracle Corp. (Nasdaq: ORCL). (See Ericsson, TIBCO Form OSS/BSS Partnership, Global Reach Helps Ericsson Grow in Q3, OpenStack Specialist Mirantis Raises $100M, PaaS It On: Ericsson Buys Into Cloud Startup Apcera and Ericsson Goes Beyond Telecom with MetraTech Acquisition.)

Nordic group Telenor Group (Nasdaq: TELN) is claiming its best-ever quarter in terms of EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization) and operating cash flow, with third-quarter revenues of 27.7 billion Norwegian kroner ($4.1 billion) and EBITDA of NOK10.3 billion ($1.5 billion). Customer uptake in such far-flung outposts of the Telenor empire as India, Bangladesh and Myanmar helped drive earnings.

Deutsche Telekom AG (NYSE: DT) has formed a partnership with US-based cybersecurity specialist FireEye Inc. to help defend DT's corporate customers in Europe from attacks that traditional defense systems such as firewall and anti-virus programs can't deal with.

UK triple-play provider Sky has invested $7 million in Whistle Sports, a US-based sports network that targets "young millennials," whatever they are, with content featuring non-mainstream, saggy-trousered pursuits such as ultimate frisbee and skateboarding. Like, totally rad, dude. Or something.

— Paul Rainford, Assistant Editor, Europe, Light Reading