Fibre and 5G will help operators improve energy efficiency over time, but recent events have made reducing usage a more immediate priority
In Finland, mobile networks found to be using three times more energy than in fixed: Traficom, the Finnish regulator, has published its inaugural report on energy consumption of telecoms networks. Using data gathered from the country’s largest telcos, the study finds that most energy is consumed by parts of the network closest to the end user, including the fixed access network and mobile radio network. Traficom also estimates that telecoms networks account for around 25% of the wider ICT sector’s overall carbon footprint, with energy consumption of mobile networks outweighing that of fixed by a factor of three. In the regulator’s opinion, while the sector has the technology and solutions to help lower emissions (i.e. reduce the carbon footprint of other industries), equal attention must be paid to limiting its own environmental impacts, particularly as this issue comes under increasing international scrutiny.
In France, operators look to balance coverage obligations and energy savings: Traficom’s view has been echoed by the Fédération Française des Télécoms (FFT), the trade body that represents French operators. It has highlighted some of the measures its members have implemented to reduce energy consumption within their networks, offices and retail stores; however, the FFT has also identified a number of regulatory obligations on operators, including the Mobile New Deal, which in combination could increase energy consumption by 5% in 2023. It argues that moderating some requirements could stem the rise without risking coverage or service quality for consumers. In addition, the potential allocation of new frequencies for 5G, e.g. in the 26GHz band, should only be made after considering the expected gains in terms of quality versus the incremental energy impact. Arcep has been remarkably proactive when it comes to seeking to understand and manage the environmental impact of the telecoms sector, making this a central feature of its work. For example, Arcep’s recent consultation on its future regulatory approach to mobile sought views on the potential of spectrum assignments to help reduce networks’ carbon footprint and support digital sustainability.
Commercial headwinds are providing an additional motivation to reduce energy consumption: Telecoms networks have become more energy efficient over time, with the amount consumed per byte decreasing. As recognised by both the FFT and Traficom, technologies such as fibre and 5G use energy less intensely than legacy networks and will play an important role in constraining growth in energy consumption – while helping telcos manage their carbon emissions. Our research outlines how operators are meaningfully embracing the race to net-zero, and are striving to reach this goal far sooner than the global deadline of 2050. Also, a higher proportion of the energy consumed by telcos is derived from renewable sources, with Deutsche Telekom, Virgin Media, Vodafone having already made the switch. Given the recent surge in wholesale prices, practising ‘energy sobriety’ has become a commercial priority as well as an environmental imperative.
Source: https://www.traficom.fi/en/news/first-study-energy-consumption-communications-networks
