Data point: how 5G is an opportunity to tackle sustainability in telecommunications

We live in a hybrid world where the virtual realm bleeds into the everyday. Conducting business from behind a computer screen, banking with digital currency or purchasing property in the metaverse are all becoming part of a “new normal”.

The fifth generation of cellular technology—commonly known as 5G—is an important aspect of this digital transformation. 5G has been praised for speed that is up to 10 times faster than what we have now (depending on location). It supposedly has lower latency and improves the flexibility of wireless services. The 5G networks themselves support energy-reducing features such as smart sleep mode, which make 5G a more energy-efficient technology per unit of mobile traffic compared with 4G. 

The rollout of 5G is accelerating: the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSMA) trade body predicts that 5G-fuelled mobile internet connections will more than double from 10% of global coverage in 2020 to 21% in 2025. Ericsson expects 5G subscriptions to reach 4.4 billion by the end of 2027. 

But mobile technology needs power, and one recent study projects that the power requirement necessary to support the global rollout of 5G will more than double by 2030. 

In 2020, the energy footprint of the global wireless ecosystem was almost 20 million tonnes of oil equivalent (Mtoe, the amount of energy released by burning one tonne of crude oil). The study’s authors expect that to reach 51.3Mtoe by 2030.

According to the research, the 5G ecosystem will effectively see a 160% increase in power requirements within the decade, equalling the projected total energy consumption of Sweden in 2030, or of all households in the UK. What’s more, the number of digital products will grow as businesses continue to roll out 5G-enabled devices.

The sheer power required to facilitate 5G is a chance for the companies behind the tech to support (and spearhead) energy-efficiency innovations and a global transition to clean power. 

Telecom giant Ericsson, for example, is already looking at ways to reduce its energy footprint. The company claims that it uses a holistic mix of energy-saving software, precision-building of 5G networks, and intelligent use of infrastructure to “enable operator networks to use as little energy as possible while managing expected growth in data traffic.” 

Orange France has taken a slightly different approach by choosing to power its network with renewables. In 2020 the company entered into a five-year corporate power purchase agreement (PPA) with Boralex, an independent producer of onshore wind power. As part of the agreement, Boralex supplies 67 gigawatt hours of renewable electricity to Orange France annually. 

A 2021 report by the GSMA also highlights numerous case studies of telecommunication companies tackling the growing energy requirement of advanced mobile network technology. 

But it’s not all about power; the production of telecom devices and 5G infrastructure also challenges tech companies to embed sustainable practices across the entire value chain. 

The manufacturing process of a smartphone, for example, accounts for almost all of the device’s carbon footprint in its first year of use. To address this, tech and mobile companies can wield their money and power to build efficient e-waste recycling facilities—or partner with R2-certified (responsible recycling accredited) vendors already doing the work—to take some of the pressure off virgin resources and lower the amount of electrical equipment that ends up in landfills. 

The GSMA recently published guidance for telecommunication organisations on how to embed circular economic thinking into their operations, including examples from AT&T, BT, Orange, Vodafone, Telefonica and many other big names in the sector. 

“We must consider the environmental footprint, in addition to the technological impact, to ensure 5G and future generations of wireless technologies exist and thrive in a responsible and energy-stable world,” said Henry Tirri, chief technology of InterDigital, which published the report on sustainable 5G deployment.

The accelerated integration of digital lifestyles into the physical realm is the ultimate opportunity to pioneer and drive progress on sustainable technological development.