Tele2 AB has led the European research project investigating how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be used to reduce energy consumption in mobile networks while simultaneously optimizing capacity to meet consumer needs.
The project demonstrated that smarter mobile networks can reduce energy consumption by between 30 to 40 percent in the long term. Tele2's participation in the AI4Green project is an important part of the company’s sustainability efforts and a step along the way to building Europe's most modern 5G network.
Tele2 provided network data and mobile network insights that were analyzed using artificial intelligence (AI) by telecom operators and universities from several European countries to better predict the network’s traffic capacity requirements. When demand for capacity decreases, Tele2 must be able to quickly adjust its energy usage in a smarter and more sustainable way.
The three year-long research collaboration has resulted in live testing of the energy savings in the 5G network. Tele2 sees significant potential in making AI an integrated part of its efforts to optimize energy supply in its mobile network. Energy efficiency is also a key part of Tele2’s goal of becoming Sweden’s leading telecom operator in sustainability.
Martina Lidman, Head of Data and Innovation, Tele2
The results we have obtained can have an enormous impact on Tele2’s energy consumption and we will be using these insights in our continued work with AI and sustainability. Our nationwide mobile network consumes as much electricity as all the households in a small city, so the ability to control energy consumption on demand makes a big difference.
Martina Lidman, Head of Data and Innovation, Tele2
Our ambition is to build Sweden's best 5G network and with accurate traffic predictions we will be able to enable our customers to have full capacity when needed, while ensuring that we save energy when the 5G-network is not being used. This is good for us, and it’s good for the planet.
