World Broadband Association recommends energy-saving fiber optics

Fiber

“Migration to all-fiber technology is essential, but further network innovation is also necessary.”

July 1, 2024 – A World Broadband Association Report Forecasts revealed on Monday suggest a shift to all-fibre networks to achieve optimal energy efficiency in the telecommunications sector.

The report indicates that telecom operators can reduce energy consumption by using fibre-optic networks – the most energy-efficient of existing broadband technologies.

Co-author Alsace FellenbaumPrincipal Analyst for 5G and Broadband Pricing and Strategy at Omdia, emphasized that improving energy efficiency is in line with modern environmental sustainability policies. “It is a strategy that can minimize the environmental impact associated with fixed broadband connectivity and is a key element of the broader goal of achieving carbon neutrality and solving environmental problems,” she said.

The report also noted that network migration could significantly reduce the need for server space and lower cooling requirements, which in turn would translate into more efficient cooling and power systems for service providers and facilities.

To ensure successful network migration, the telecom industry must adopt simplified network architecture, implement new AI solutions and create energy-efficient facilities, read the report. Focusing on the energy efficiency of equipment at customer premises and adopting unified metrics and methodologies for measuring efficiency are also key steps towards energy efficiency.

Fellenbaum explained, “Migration to full fiber is essential, but so is continued network innovation. While the demand for connectivity has grown exponentially over the past two decades, the telecommunications industry has managed to keep it in check through technological advances.”

She suggested that current networks need a simplified architecture as it has the least pass-through traffic and can reduce energy consumption. She further recommended introducing AI-based solutions to further optimize the network by monitoring and managing traffic changes, routing paths, volumes, and allocation policies.

Co-author James Zhouhead of Huawei Europe Optical Standard, emphasized the company’s responsibility for more than three-quarters of the energy consumption in fixed access networks and the need to address this issue. He stated that “by lowering the energy consumption targets per device and extending the lifespan of products with future-proof technologies, the overall energy consumption can be effectively reduced.”

“With the publication of our toolkit, we hope that the industry will draw attention to available technologies and solutions that can help improve the energy efficiency of fixed broadband networks,” Zhou continued. “By identifying key areas for improvement, stakeholders now have the opportunity to decide where to focus their attention and resources on their sustainability journey.”