Energy - Aware UMTS Core Network Design

Over the last few years, telecom operators account for sizeable power consumption worldwide. The ratio of power demand versus resources is on the rise, and energy costs are steadily increasing. The Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) sector alone is responsible for 2% to 10% of world power consumption, due to the rising diffusion of electronic devices. In the present scenario, power consumption of telecommunication networks cannot be undermined. Initiatives have been taken to reduce the power consumption by switching off portions of the Universal Mobile Telecommunication Service (UMTS) core network. Full connectivity and maximum link utilization is, however, ensured without compromising the service quality. Heuristic algorithms are being used in packet switching domain of a typical UMTS architecture for this purpose. The goal is to minimize the total power consumption of the core network. The possibility to turn off some nodes and links selectively which are under connectivity within the constraints of Quality of Service (QoS) in a network topology and traffic demand from the Radio Access Network is worked out. This has resulted in up to 30% to 50% savings in power during off-peak hours. Telecom operators have even begun to adopt equipment that automatically go into standby mode when not in use. Further studies are being undertaken in this area to bring down power consumption in this sector.