Urgent demands from practice
Over the past time, VNPT has deployed the broadcasting of 5G stations nationwide. These are high-configuration 5G stations, using Active Antenna Massive MIMO 64T64R, which consumes 2-4 times more power than conventional 4G stations.
When the number of 5G stations increases, the cost of electricity is very large, accounting for the majority of operating and exploitation costs (OPEX costs). Therefore, the author group including Mr. Do Ngoc Anh, born in 1980, Deputy Head of Network Management Center (NMC); Mr. Pham Van Hanh, born in 1982 and Mr. Nguyen Tuan Nam, born in 1985, specialists of NMC Center have focused on researching and effectively implementing solutions to save electricity for 5G devices.
The group has researched and applied advanced energy-saving features of 5G such as MicroDTX, Cell Switch-off, DeepSleep Mode, MIMO Muting to optimize energy according to each load level flexibly according to network conditions (high, medium, low, according to the characteristics of each region); combining many features to achieve maximum efficiency: Cell Switch-off during off-peak hours (23:00-5:00) combined with DeepSleep Mode.
The initiative also applies comprehensive and multi-dimensional measurement methods such as evaluating efficiency through a system counter and actual verification at the site; analyzing the impact on network KPI and user experience. Setting up a mechanism to automatically turn on/off power saving features based on traffic, minimizing manual intervention.
The energy-saving solution for 5G devices has brought clear economic and technical efficiency.
About reducing OPEX costs: For Nokia devices: Reduced electricity consumption by about 43.44%, saving about 13 billion VND/year (measured on 1,077 stations). For Ericsson devices: Reduced electricity consumption by about 14%, saving about 23 billion VND/year (measured on 1,365 stations). When the 5G network scale continues to expand according to the national digital transformation orientation, the estimated power saving efficiency reaches about 165 billion VND/year, helping to reduce the pressure of network operating costs, especially when the 5G wireless network scale is expanding rapidly...
Towards the "green - smart - self-operating" wireless network model
According to Mr. Ngoc Anh, the biggest motivation for him and his colleagues to have initiatives/innovations in work is the requirement from the actual work: 5G electricity costs are increasing while the initial traffic is not commensurate, posing a very urgent OPEX optimization problem.
Being directly exploited and gradually mastering the new technology (5G) also motivates the group to explore and deeply exploit the technical features that have not been fully utilized. During the research process, the group encountered difficulties in deploying the 5G initiative due to new technology, limited documents and experience, and at the same time had to ensure power saving without affecting service quality. However, the group also has an advantage when being tested on a large network system, with 5G power saving features already equipped and a team of experienced technicians.
Mr. Ngoc Anh shared that the group is orienting an AI/ML application initiative to forecast traffic and optimize energy in real time. Currently, the group has built a network-wide power monitoring system and developed a mechanism to automatically turn on/off power saving features based on network behavior. In addition, the group also aims for a "green - smart - self-operating" wireless network model suitable for the digital transformation strategy, Net Zero, and smart network operation, supporting VNPT's digital transformation strategy and the country.
