Ericsson's newly released 'Breaking the Energy Curve' report explains effective ways to scale up 5G to communication service providers (ISPs). In the report, released for the first time in 2020, Ericsson estimates the annual global energy cost of operating mobile networks at approximately US$25 billion. This figure is expected to increase in the years following this report, with global economic challenges shaped by the energy crisis and rising inflation.
These developments further highlight the need for HRDs to take a more efficient and sustainable approach to network operations. Ericsson's updated 'On the Path to Breaking the Energy Curve' report aims to support HRDs in achieving these goals.
Commenting on the matter, Fredrik Jejdling, Ericsson Vice President and Chief Network Officer, said: “As global uses of 5G connectivity continue, the benefits of an energy-conscious and future-ready portfolio are becoming more apparent. However, it is clear that the large-scale savings in energy consumption from such a portfolio across the network can be leveraged by other actions.”
Jejdling continued his words as follows: “We cannot adopt a 'same bowl, same bath' approach in the next process. We should benefit from broader network changes and modernization rather than minor changes. In order to make energy-saving functions effective, we must use the latest technology and make the best use of our energy resources. Simply put, we need to think differently.”
Since the previous report, 5G has rolled out in more than 200 networks worldwide. The updated report outlines three steps on how to scale up 5G with sustainability at the forefront and reduce overall network energy consumption by challenging the traditional industry approach.
Planning differently: Focusing on sustainable network development; Adopting a holistic view of company objectives and the real-world state of the network to enable network planning and operation that supports business and sustainability goals.
Deploy differently: effectively modernize the existing network while scaling 5G to reduce the overall energy consumption of the mobile network.
Taking a different business approach: Leveraging artificial intelligence/machine learning and automation to maximize traffic performance of hardware in use with minimal energy.
Because radio access network (RAN) products and solutions are the most energy-consuming components in a mobile network, the report highlights that IHSs must continually prioritize RAN energy savings as next-generation energy-efficient products become available. This stands out as one of the best ways to keep energy usage under control while providing an excellent user experience.
The report recommends taking a holistic view of network evolution, expansion and operation to stop the upward trend in energy consumption of mobile networks. This approach is also expected to help solve the problem of exponentially increasing data traffic.
The report provides guidelines on how to maintain a high level of energy efficiency, sustainability and cost efficiency while increasing the scope and benefits of 5G with new and advanced use cases, helping ISPs meet the overall goal of Net Zero by 2050.
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