As the demand for connectivity surges, the telecommunications industry faces mounting pressure to expand its networks while minimizing its environmental footprint. Indeed, operators face the challenge of expanding the network while adhering to global climate commitments, including reducing emissions by 45% by 2030 as part of the Paris Agreement targets. The industry must decarbonize its operations, improve energy efficiency, and transition to renewable energy sources to address these challenges.
The EY and Liberty Global report, "Smarter Networks, Greener Planet", highlights how AI can serve as a transformative tool in balancing these dual objectives.
Key Findings of the Report
- The sustainability potential of AI: AI technologies can significantly enhance sustainability in telecommunications by optimizing energy consumption, integrating renewable energy, reducing e-waste, and streamlining network operations.
- Exponential data growth: Global internet traffic has grown 25-fold since 2010, with mobile data traffic expected to triple between 2023 and 2028. This growth poses a significant environmental challenge as operators seek to expand capacity without increasing energy use proportionally.
- Energy efficiency improvements: Operators have demonstrated energy savings of up to 40% by leveraging AI in network management.
- E-waste reduction: AI can facilitate a circular economy approach by improving asset longevity and enhancing recycling and refurbishment processes.
- Future pathways: The report outlines four potential scenarios for AI and sustainability in telecommunications, with the most likely being a widespread adoption of AI to achieve significant energy efficiencies and emissions reductions.
As a long-standing partner of many Telecom leaders, Deepomatic, via its mission to put quality back at the heart of field operations, is deeply committed and takes into account environmental and social considerations for the ecosystem.
Building on the latest Liberty Global and EY insights report, let’s explore two critical ways AI is already shaping greener, more efficient networks.
1. Streamlining Network Rollouts to Reduce Environmental Impact
Deploying fiber networks is a resource-intensive process, often involving multiple stages of quality checks, corrections, and site visits. AI is revolutionizing these operations by ensuring precision, reducing redundancies, and minimizing the need for physical interventions.
- Getting it right the first time: AI automates quality assurance in fiber deployment, ensuring tasks are completed accurately from the outset. This minimizes the need for costly reworks and additional site visits, which are significant sources of greenhouse gas emissions.
- Remote auditing: Instead of deploying auditors to inspect completed work, AI can analyze data such as photos captured by field workers. This eliminates unnecessary travel, reducing emissions and improving the speed of quality control.
- Faster, more efficient rollouts: By streamlining the quality control process, AI ensures consistent standards and accelerates network deployment timelines while reducing the risk of downtime. This is particularly critical in meeting the growing global demand for connectivity with minimal environmental cost.
2. Driving Infrastructure Sustainability
AI is helping telecommunications operators shift from reactive maintenance to a proactive, data-driven approach, extending the lifespan of network assets and reducing environmental impacts.
- Preventive maintenance: AI-powered image analysis can detect early signs of degradation in network infrastructure. For example, when field workers capture photos, AI identifies potential issues and alerts operators to schedule maintenance. This approach ensures that small issues are addressed before they escalate into costly, resource-intensive failures.
- Reducing replacement emissions: Preventing complete equipment breakdowns means fewer emissions from manufacturing and transporting replacement parts. Moreover, fewer emergency repairs translate into reduced vehicle emissions from technician trips.
By maintaining infrastructure in optimal condition, operators can ensure long-term returns on their investments, minimizing the need for costly overhauls and contributing to more sustainable business practices.
The telecommunications sector has a pivotal role to play in enabling digital transformation while reducing its environmental footprint. The EY and Liberty Global report underscores how AI is not just a technological upgrade—it is a strategic tool for sustainability.
By automating processes, enhancing infrastructure management, and reducing waste, AI is empowering operators to achieve operational excellence without compromising environmental responsibility. As data demands continue to grow, the integration of AI into telecommunications networks offers a path forward—where innovation and sustainability go hand in hand.
If you wish to know more about Deepomatic’s AI platform and how it can help you build and operate your fiber network efficiently, contact us!
