Alcatel-Lucent is facing pressure from shareholders to replace CEO Ben Verwaayen, reports the Wall Street Journal. Earlier this month the vendor admitted -- on the back of disappointing third-quarter results -- that its full-year numbers were not going to meet initial expectations. (See AlcaLu CFO: We're 'P*ssed' and AlcaLu Under Pressure.)

On the subject of departures, whether actual or simply hoped-for, Reuters reports that Edward Kozel, Deutsche Telekom's CTIO (chief technology and innovation officer) and one of Light Reading's "Top 20 Bridge Builders," is to leave the company by the end of the year, citing personal reasons. His responsibilities will be taken over temporarily by CEO Rene Obermann, Reuters' source added. (See Euronews: Deutsche Telekom Confirms Guidance.)

Pace, the U.K.-based set-top box maker, has warned that the recent floods in Thailand could knock as much as US$50 million off its anticpated profits in 2012, reports The Independent. Western Digital, which makes hard drives for Pace, had to close its factory in Thailand as a result of the floods. (See Euronews: France Telecom Enters Congo and Pace Unseats Moto as Set-Top King .)

Japanese giant NTT Communications Corp. (NYSE: NTT) has bolstered the European reach of its global IP network with the launch of new Point of Presence (POP) locations in Budapest, Bucharest and Sofia. Last month NTT announced it had opened a POP in Brussels. (See NTT Com Adds Euro POPs, Infinera's 100G Goes Undersea and NTT Opens Brussels POP.)

Orange France is to host the French MVNO operation of KPN Telecom NV (NYSE: KPN) subsidiary Ortel Mobile. Ortel operates as an MVNO in six European countries, and already uses the Orange network in Spain and Switzerland. (See Orange to Host MVNO Ortel Mobile and KPN Buys Rest of Ortel.)

If the real reality of shopping in your local hypermarket is too much to bear, how about some "augmented reality"? Tesco , the all-consuming U.K. retail monster, has launched a pilot of the technology in several of its stores, reports the Daily Telegraph. Shoppers who cannot imagine what, say, a TV or fridge looks like in real life will be able to hold up a barcode relating to the product and said bulky item will be projected in 3-D before their very eyes, thus saving Tesco the bother of actually having it on the shelf taking up valuable retail real estate. An online version of the technology will be also be available to those with webcams on their home computers. The technology is being provided by British company Kishino.

— Paul Rainford, Assistant Editor, Europe, Light Reading