Optus and Ericsson Achieve Significant Energy Savings with Dynamic Efficiency Solutions for 5G Networks

Optus and Ericsson Achieve Significant Energy Savings with Dynamic Efficiency Solutions for 5G Networks

(IN BRIEF) Optus and Ericsson have collaborated to deploy dynamic energy efficiency software solutions in Optus’s 5G mobile network, resulting in a potential incremental reduction in energy consumption across the network’s Ericsson radio access footprint. The implemented solutions, including Massive MIMO Sleep mode and Booster Carrier Sleep, intelligently detect and switch off individual broadcast elements and Massive MIMO radios when not in use, significantly reducing energy consumption without compromising network coverage. This initiative aligns with Optus’s sustainability commitment to reduce operational emissions by 25% by 2025 and reflects Ericsson’s dedication to making mobile networks more energy-efficient and sustainable. The deployment of these solutions underscores the ongoing efforts to enhance network performance while minimizing power needs, contributing to a greener and more efficient 5G ecosystem.

(PRESS RELEASE) STOCKHOLM, 26-Feb-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — Ericsson has the ambition to achieve NetZero by 2040. The initiative with Optus using Massive MIMO Sleep mode and Booster Carrier Sleep has made us closer to this, with a total daily energy savings of up to 24-26%.

Optus and Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) have deployed dynamic energy efficiency software solutions in the telecommunications carrier’s 5G mobile network with the new intelligent technology enabling a potential incremental reduction in energy consumption across the provider’s Ericsson radio access network footprint.

This new initiative will increase the total daily energy savings up to 24-26% when combined with the software feature enhancements and hardware modernization initiatives completed last year.

The two new Ericsson solutions implemented – Massive MIMO (multiple-input multiple-output) Sleep mode and Booster Carrier Sleep – are software-based tools designed to reduce energy consumption in Ericsson’s Massive MIMO radio hardware by dynamically switching off individual broadcast elements and Massive MIMO radios in each mobile network antenna when there is no user demand for them.

The Massive MIMO Sleep mode and Booster Carrier Sleep solutions, which have been deployed at trial sites in Sydney and Melbourne, conserve energy by intelligently detecting when antenna elements and Massive MIMO radios are not in use and automatically switching them into sleep mode, reactivating them again when they are needed.

At the sites where the solutions have been rolled out, Massive MIMO Sleep mode has improved average energy consumption by a saving of 2.5kWh per day, per site. Meanwhile, the Booster Carrier Sleep feature has reduced energy consumption by 2.23kWh per day, per site.

With RAN networks contributing significantly to the total energy consumption of a mobile network, the ability to dynamically put antenna elements and Massive MIMO radios into low-power sleep mode when not in use, without jeopardising network coverage, presents enormous energy saving possibilities for Optus as a network operator.

The implementation of the new solutions, which are set to be showcased in the Ericsson Hall at Mobile World Congress (MWC) Barcelona, from 26-29 February 2024, is part of an ongoing sustainability commitment by Optus to reduce 25% of its operational emissions by 2025, from a 2015 baseline.

Lambo Kanagaratnam, Managing Director of Networks at Optus, says: “The enhancements made possible by the Ericsson Massive MIMO Sleep mode and Booster Carrier Sleep solutions are helping Optus take a step closer to our sustainability commitment to reduce our 2025 emissions by 25%, from a 2015 baseline and ensure network capacity and performance is maintained, even as power needs are minimised.”

Daniel Ode, Head of Ericsson Global Customer Unit, Singtel, says: “With the deployment of the Ericsson Massive MIMO Sleep mode and Booster Carrier Sleep technology, we enhance the energy efficiency of the Ericsson infrastructure throughout the entire Optus network, both the hardware and the software components. In our partnership with Optus we are very proud to be part of their journey to reach their sustainability commitment by leveraging the latest Ericsson technology leadership. Our work with Optus on intelligent power management features bolsters Ericsson’s efforts to make mobile networks more energy-efficient, sustainable and cost-effective, while extending the reach and benefits of 5G. It also reflects our long-term ambition to become Net Zero across our value chain by 2040.”

FURTHER INFORMATION FOR EDITORS

With Deep Sleep for Massive MIMO radios can hibernate while consumers and businesses are asleep. Low traffic hours enable substantial energy savings potential on each radio and site. Deep Sleep saves around 70% of the energy otherwise consumed by hibernating the radio when there is little or no traffic.

Booster Carrier Sleep allows carriers to be switched on and off dynamically based on the traffic demand. This software creates more opportunities for cell sleep and radio deep sleep to be activated autonomously, being a key enabler for energy efficiency.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

FOLLOW US:

Subscribe to Ericsson press releases here
Subscribe to Ericsson blog posts here
https://twitter.com/ericsson
https://www.facebook.com/ericsson
https://www.linkedin.com/company/ericsson

ABOUT ERICSSON:
Ericsson enables communications service providers and enterprises to capture the full value of connectivity. The company’s portfolio spans the following business areas: Networks, Cloud Software and Services, Enterprise Wireless Solutions, Global Communications Platform, and Technologies and New Businesses. It is designed to help our customers go digital, increase efficiency and find new revenue streams. Ericsson’s innovation investments have delivered the benefits of mobility and mobile broadband to billions of people globally. Ericsson stock is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm and on Nasdaq New York. www.ericsson.com

ABOUT OPTUS:
As one of the largest telecommunications companies in Australia, Optus provides mobile, telephony, internet, satellite, entertainment and business network services to more than 10 million customers each day. The Optus mobile network reaches 98.5% of the Australian population, and it is committed to constantly delivering new technologies that will connect more Australians to their friends, families and businesses. https://www.optus.com.au/

Media Contact:

investor.relations@ericsson.com
+46 10 719 00 00

media.relations@ericsson.com
Tel: +46 10 719 69 92

SOURCE: ERICSSON