Swisscom, which currently boasts 728,000 IPTV customers, is to take the bold step of offering an introductory IPTV service for free to all of its DSL broadband customers as from next month, a move that will significantly boost its TV service customer base as it has 1.7 million fixed broadband users. The free TV Light package offers more than 60 channels, with 22 in HD. Customers paying for their IPTV service get at least 110 channels. Swisscom's move signals its intent to grab a greater share of the Pay TV market from satellite service providers and rival UPC Cablecom , which has about 690,000 digital TV customers. It is surely to be hoped that Swiss Toni will feature on one of Swisscom's free IPTV channels somewhere, sometime... (See Swisscom Provides IPTV for Free.)

Russian mobile operator MegaFon has got an "unofficial green light" from U.K regulators for its plan to float on the London stock market, according to a report on Reuters. It is thought that the IPO could now go ahead in late November or early December. (See Euronews: More 4G for Russia.)

Egyptian telecom tycoon Naguib Sawiris has offered to buy a minority stake in Telecom Italia (TIM) , reports Bloomberg. The move comes about a year after Sawiris sold Italian mobile operator Wind Telecomunicazioni SpA .

U.K. regulator Ofcom has finally set the timetable for Britain's 4G spectrum auction, with Dec. 11 being named as the deadline day for getting applications (plus deposits) in. Services are expected to go live in May/June 2013, although of course EE already has its 4G service up and running. (See Ofcom Sets 4G Timetable in UK, Britain Braced for 4G Fight , Euronews: 4G Arrives in UK and Euronews: Will UK Fast-Track 4G Auction?)

Vodafone Group plc (NYSE: VOD) boss Vittorio Colao is looking to strike deals with TV companies and newspaper publishers in Europe to generate new income streams in the face of declining "traditional" revenues, according to a Bloomberg report. (See Vodafone Digs Deeper to Cut Costs.)

The head of Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) in the U.K. is up before a Parliament Accounts Committee today to defend the search giant's use of "innovative" taxation arrangements that saw it paying just £6 million (US$9.5 million) tax on U.K. turnover of £395 million ($627 million), reports the BBC. Representatives from Starbucks and Facebook will be squirming alongside the Google guy.

— Paul Rainford, Assistant Editor, Europe, Light Reading