Deutsche Telekom AG (NYSE: DT), AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) and Salt SA provide something for the weekend in today's trot through the EMEA telecom headlines.

The German government is more-or-less resigned to the proposed sale of Deutsche Telekom's T-Mobile US Inc. subsidiary to AT&T falling through, according to a report in the Financial Times (subscription required). (See FCC OKs AT&T’s Merger Application Withdrawal , Can Cricket Save the AT&T/T-Mobile Merger? and FCC Requests Hearing on AT&T/T-Mobile Merger.)

Reuters reports that private equity firm CVC, which is currently looking to sell Orange Switzerland, is in talks with one of the bidders about a potential merger with rival operator Sunrise Communications AG , should the sale go through. Previous owner Orange (NYSE: FTE) had attempted a merger with sunrise in 2010, but it was quashed by the country's regulator. (See FT Looks to Sell Swiss Biz and FT, TDC Terminate Swiss Merger.)

Anite plc , the U.K.-based mobile testing firm, reported half-year profits up 59 percent year-on-year to £11.8 million (US$18.5 million), with Long Term Evolution (LTE)-related work accounting for 45 percent of handset testing revenue. (See Anite H1 Profits Up 59% and Anite Adds to Its LTE Arsenal.)

Dutch incumbent KPN Telecom NV (NYSE: KPN) will soon have to decide whether to strengthen or dispose of its MVNO operation in France, according to a report on Bloomberg. KPN operates the Simyo mobile brand in France, using the networks of Bouygues Telecom and Orange France .

Swisscom AG (NYSE: SCM) has announced plans to build fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) networks in the municipalities of Herisau and Teufen -- though it will be flying solo on the project, after talks over carrying out the work as a joint venture with SAK came to nothing. (See Swisscom Plans New FTTH Nets, Swisscom Rethinks FTTH Agreements, Swisscom Rethinks FTTH Agreements and Euronews: Swisscom Feels the Heat in H1.)

There could be a U.K. "connected home" market worth £3 billion ($4.7 billion) per year within five years, according to report produced by Intellect, a trade body representing British technology firms. The report warns, however, that this will only come about if standardization in the sector is better implemented and average broadband speeds improved. (See Verizon Builds a Connected Home.)

The European Commission has proposed giving the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) €2.8 billion ($3.7 billion) to create new innovation hubs. "Knowledge triangles" are also involved, apparently...

— Paul Rainford, Assistant Editor, Europe, Light Reading