Nokia may be a spent force in smartphones since selling its devices business to Microsoft, but it still aims to be the power behind the throne of other vendors via its technology licensing program. Its technology, and its venerable brand, are already enabling new smartphones from Finnish start-up HCL, and tablets from Foxconn. Now it has upped its game with a licensing and collaboration deal with a bona fide handset giant, China’s Xiaomi. The companies have announced a smartphone patent cross-licensing deal, but they are also cooperating with a business deal in another area – Nokia will provide networking equipment, including IP routing and data center interconnect gear, apparently to help Xiaomi serve large service providers and enterprises. It seems that…