Study reveals top mobile operators for sustainability 2024

Juniper Research has identified leading mobile network operators globally in terms of sustainability, highlighting key players who have implemented significant sustainable practices.

In a newly published study, the telecommunications market research firm assessed operators on various sustainability parameters, including the scale and effectiveness of their initiatives, the sustainable technologies employed, and the achievements realised so far. According to the report, the top operators making substantial contributions in this area are KDDI from Japan, Deutsche Telekom from Germany, and Verizon from the United States.

KDDI was particularly praised for its focus on cloud technologies and circular economy strategies aimed at recycling network hardware. The company reported a recycling rate of over 99% for disused network hardware in 2023. Moreover, KDDI has leveraged increasing reliance on cloud services to automate operations, leading to a noteworthy reduction in carbon emissions and energy consumption. The company is also advancing datacentre operations and minimising the extent of physical networks through Network Function Virtualisation (NFV), further cutting down energy needs.

The report titled "Global Network Operator Sustainability Strategies 2024–2029" sheds light on these sustainable practices. It offers a comprehensive analysis of network operator sustainability efforts, inclusive of detailed forecasts for 60 countries, a 'Competitor Leaderboard', and an exploration of existing and future market prospects.

Juniper Research's findings also emphasise the significant role of cloud computing as a sustainable network technology. The report notes that cloud computing considerably helps in diminishing carbon emissions, reducing costs, and lowering energy consumption. The integration of high virtualisation levels in existing and forthcoming 5G and 6G networks suggests that centralising and automating network functions through cloud platforms could potentially decrease global energy demand by over 2,000 terawatt-hours in 2025.

Research Author Frederick Savage highlighted the importance of cloud computing for operators aiming to enhance efficiency and attain sustainability targets. "Cloud computing is an instrumental strategy for operators to improve efficiency and meet sustainability goals. Cloud's ability to dynamically allocate resources in real-time significantly reduces energy consumption, compared to the constant energy requirement from traditional networks," Savage remarked.

Juniper Research's Network Operator Sustainability Strategies research suite provides in-depth analysis and evaluation of how the dynamic and competitive network operator market is deploying environmental sustainability measures. It analyses operators' technical use cases such as Cloud Computing, Open RAN (Radio Access Networks), Edge Computing, 5G, 6G, IoT (The Internet of Things), Fibre Optics, AI (Artificial Intelligence), Renewable Energy, Sustainable Supply Chains and Circular Economy. There will also be analysis of operators conforming to newly curated industry standards, such as the Science Based Targets initiative and the agendas of governing bodies (such as GSMA) to achieve goals such as Net Zero in emissions by 2030, network hardware circular economy and legacy network technology retirement.