Next-Generation Network Hardware and Software Can Play a Bigger Role in Helping Telecoms Get More Green

There is an interesting article in the December issue of the
Economist, “How Green Is Your Network?”
The article states that telecom networks and the devices they connect account
for 1% of global greenhouse-gas emissions. I’m a little shocked but I guess I
shouldn’t be. It takes a lot of resource to keep networks up and running. On a
related note, I recently overheard an executive from a very well-known
semiconductor company comment that for every two dollars spent building a piece
of network equipment it takes another dollar just to power it and keep it
running.

The good news is the telecom industry is well aware of the
excessive amounts of energy its equipment consumes. And, according to the
article, companies such as Vodafone are employing various field-level tactics
to reduce this consumption. Painting base stations white to reflect the sun’s
heat and ultimately use less cooling power is one example.

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