Tele2 has launched a new project to improve the energy efficiency of its 4G network in order to meet new climate change goals.
The project will test and implement new technologies across the Sweden-based operator’s network, including a solution in which the base station power amplifier is turned off when the station has no data to transmit.
Other innovations being evaluated include shutting down antenna ports at low load as well as measures to extend battery life for base stations during power outages.
Tele2’s 4G network is its main consumer of energy, accounting for 70 percent of the company’s consumption. The operator wants to reduce this to meet Swedish government goals that total energy consumption in the country be reduced by 20 percent.
Tele2 also promised to participate in the international initiative SooGreen, which aims to create a greener telecoms industry, and work with Swedish university KTH around telecoms sustainability.
Samuel Skott, CEO of Tele2 Sweden, said: “It is natural for us to take a leading role and to drive and challenge our industry towards a greater sustainability thinking.”
France’s Orange is another operator working on improving its energy efficiency. The telco is working with Huawei on plans to deploy more efficient infrastructure by 2020.
Energy efficiency is also expected to be a major feature of 5G networks in the future, as they will need to support remote devices with limited battery life.