Pause power consumption with 5G

 Pause power consumption with 5G

About self-driving cars, talking together; remote health care, treatment of patients from the comfort of their home; In an immersive virtual and augmented reality that allows users to experience learning and playing in new ways, 5G promises to create an invisible world for people and businesses.

While the promise of 5G will change the world as we know it, the main demand now facing industry experts is the launch of 5G and subsequent energy consumption. Today, energy is one of the biggest challenges in the telecommunications industry in terms of cost and carbon footprint. Ericsson estimates the annual global energy cost of operating mobile networks at approximately $ 25 billion. If 5G is deployed in the same way as its previous generation to meet the growing demand for traffic, then the power consumption of mobile networks will increase significantly. This cannot be sustained in terms of cost or environmental impact.

Historically, the launch of each succeeding generation of mobile technology has been accompanied by new services that need more coverage for many people and places. At the same time, the creation of networks to support the demand for new services has led to a corresponding increase in energy consumption. As we continue to deploy 5G, there is an urgent need to guarantee the full energy performance of the network as it expands with new features such as increased baud rate and lower latency.

So can we run 5G while reducing power consumption? The answer is yes. Nowadays, it is quite possible to reduce the overall energy consumption of the mobile network and at the same time face many challenges of traffic growth. In our report "Breaking the Energy Curve", we highlight the savings that can be achieved through new innovative approaches. To break the energy curve, it is necessary to discuss all the different parts of the network holistically. Communication service providers can start saving energy by taking the first step in setting energy production goals in their organization and processes. Ericsson is already helping service providers meet the challenge of energy and carbon emissions by creating innovative solutions that enable them to meet current and future network needs.

Upgrading network hardware with 5G

Energy performance is one of the most important requirements for 5G, with a 5G network up to 10 times faster than 4G. By modernizing the network with the latest technology and replacing old equipment, it is possible to realize new business opportunities and at the same time generate significant energy savings. With this in mind, the 5G standard now includes an ultra-slim design and Massive MIMO, which are key technical switches for better energy efficiency.

The ultra-slim design uses smart sleep technology, which ensures that high-frequency signals are transmitted to the radio hardware only when needed. Massive MIMO increases network coverage and provides higher capacity. These enhancements provide expanded network coverage in a sustainable and resource-efficient manner and reduce the total cost of ownership for service providers. Up to 15 percent energy savings with software features

Today, much of the energy consumption of mobile networks comes from radio access networks (RANs) and radio base station sites. With the gradual development of 5G around the world, it has become important to focus on improving the energy performance of RANs in order to limit growth and reduce energy consumption. The energy-saving software implemented by the RAN network has great potential for reducing energy consumption, and our energy-saving and energy-saving functions prove it. Moving pages from "always on" to "always available" will improve energy efficiency and network sustainability.

It is also important to create a network of site upgrades to make room for more power consumption from the 5G deployment. By using the right equipment for the right traffic situation, we have found that enormous energy savings are possible. In addition, with AI, service providers will be able to operate the 5G site infrastructure more actively. Studies have shown that service providers have reduced on-site energy consumption by up to 15% thanks to intelligent on-site management solutions. Responsibility in the field

Within the Middle East and North Africa, a significant increase in mobile data traffic is expected. Average data on smartphones by 2027 is expected to reach 41 GB per month, and network power consumption and costs are also expected to increase.

Tackling grid energy and carbon emissions requires a collaborative approach that looks beyond the performance of individual products and is network-wide. We see this as an opportunity to rethink how to build, operate and manage networks more intelligently and strategically. Finding a holistic solution that breaks the energy curve through innovation is not an option, but an industry's responsibility. Only in this way can we reduce energy consumption while ensuring that everyone can enjoy the benefits of global 5G deployment.

The author is Ericsson's Head of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility for the Middle East and Africa