Openreach , the fixed access network unit of BT Group plc (NYSE: BT; London: BTA), has teamed up with broadband tech vendor NetComm Wireless Ltd. to demonstrate the potential of fiber-to-the-distribution-point (FTTdp)-based Gfast technology. In a recent demonstration, the partners showed how NetComm's reverse power-fed Distribution Point Unit (DPU) technology was able to deliver gigabit broadband speeds over copper lines of 40 meters using spectrum frequency of up to 212MHz. Openreach is planning a widespread deployment of Gfast technology across the UK to deliver high-speed broadband services and plans to deploy Gfast technology at various points at the edge of the networks, including at distribution points (up telegraph poles, beneath manhole covers) within close proximity to customer premises as well as in street cabinets. (See Openreach, NetComm Wireless Demo FTTdp Gfast Tech, Huawei, Nokia Land Initial G.fast Deals at BT's Openreach and Gfast Stampede Starts in 2019 – Report.)

Irish BSS provider Openet Telecom Ltd. has landed a deal with Orange Poland, which is deploying "virtualized versions" of the vendor's Policy Manager and Evolved Charging systems. Openet tells Eurobites that these "fully virtualized," hardware-agnostic products are "cloud-enabled ... to overcome limitations of traditional monolithic OSS/BSS deployments. Openet's solutions are designed to deploy in the telco cloud and so have embraced 'Cloud Native' design, including the use of microservices." The engagement at Orange Poland also involves Accenture, which is acting as a systems integrator but which, thanks to Openet's "Collaborative DevOps model," is able to quickly develop additional capabilities for Orange Poland based on Openet's code base. (See Orange Poland Deploys Openet BSS Tools.)

Swedish security tech specialist Clavister AB reported year-on-year revenues growth of 22.6% to 21.4 million Swedish kronor (US$2.65 million) for the second quarter of 2017, citing increasing demand for its "virtual solution" and "additional orders received from global mobile operators" as factors driving its rise in sales. The company also noted that its technology has been "certified" for integration into the SDN orchestration platform developed by Nuage Networks , a division of Nokia Corp. (NYSE: NOK) (See Clavister Reports Q2 Sales Growth and Clavister Clocks Up Nokia Order.)

Qatar-based Ooredoo is to use iBuildNet, the RF planning tool from British vendor Ranplan , for the design and optimization of complex in-building DAS and small cell HetNets across Ooredoo's international footprint. iBuildNet uses 3D modelling with a 3D ray-tracing propagation engine in combination with data analysis to automatically optimize AP locations, antenna type, power and channel assignment for dense DAS, small cell and HetNet deployments.

Baby it's cold outside: The Norwegian town of Ballangen, located within the Arctic Circle, could soon be playing host to what its backers claim is the world's largest data center at 600,000 square meters over four storeys, the BBC reports. Kolos, the US-Norwegian company behind the project, says the chilly climate and the locally available hydropower would allow energy costs to be kept to a minimum, though it is still to secure the necessary funds for the project. They'd better get a move on before that ice cap melts…

BT plans to scrap around half of its 40,000 remaining public telephone booths as the cost of maintaining them increasingly outstrips what revenue they provide in the age of the (almost) ubiquitous mobile phone. As the Financial Times reports (subscription required), the booths -- 7,000 of which are the iconic red telephone "boxes" -- still handle around 33,000 calls a day, when they are not being used for other, more nefarious and/or unsavory purposes. Figure 1: Balls to cleaning these phone boxes anymore, says BT.

— Paul Rainford, Assistant Editor, Europe, Light Reading