Power consumption is likely one of the greatest components of OpEx, says AI-RAN Alliance Chair Alex Jinsung Choi
The discount of operation bills (OpEx) is a key precedence for telecom operators, and in response to Alex Jinsung Choi, chair of the AI-RAN Alliance and principal fellow of SoftBank Corp.’s Analysis Institute of Superior Expertise, power consumption within the radio entry community (RAN) is likely one of the greatest components of OpEx.
“AI will play an enormous function in making RAN operations extra sustainable,” he advised RCR Wi-fi Information. Particularly, AI and machine studying (ML) can establish decrease community load and solely scaling up assets when mandatory, enabling telcos to fine-tune power utilization primarily based on real-time demand. “This type of dynamic scaling may help be certain that community efficiency targets are at all times met whereas considerably reducing down pointless power utilization,” mentioned Choi. “It’s not nearly utilizing much less power; it’s about utilizing the correct quantity of power on the proper time.”
One such instance is sensible radio frequency (RF) channel administration through which Knowledge High quality Monitoring (DQM) — a form of reinforcement studying mannequin — is leveraged to offer dynamic RF channel reconfiguration, resulting in materials power financial savings. “Dynamically, we will change channels, cells and even sign ranges on and off primarily based on community site visitors,” defined Choi, including that this method includes offloading customers to neighboring cells earlier than switching off sure cells to make sure seamless connectivity.
Nokia takes power effectivity to the ‘excessive’
Nokia’s method to power effectivity has been self-described as “excessive.” As an example, the seller takes this concept of spinning community assets up and right down to replicate real-world site visitors to the max with its Deep Sleep cell switch-off mode. This answer, introduced in February, leverages software program within the vendor’s AirScale Habrok Large MIMO radio items to cut back power consumption by as much as 97% in comparison with a cell on air however with out site visitors. The corporate additionally has a ‘Zero site visitors, zero power’ answer that switches off all radio assets when there’s zero site visitors.
Moreover, ReefShark System-on-Chip (SoC), Nokia’s SoC expertise dynamically adjusts inside assets primarily based on site visitors calls for, contributing to a 15% discount in power consumption. Power effectivity of the radio community software program options could be additional enhanced with the seller’s MantaRay Power answer, which automates and optimizes the configuration of the energy-saving software program options.
It was this final answer that Ed highlighted when talking with RCR Wi-fi Information. The Nokia MantaRay SON answer, he shared, faucets AI and ML to autonomously establish and handle community inefficiencies by routinely switching off underutilized cell websites. “This could optimize the RAN power primarily based on the true site visitors sample,” he mentioned, including that Nokia additionally makes use of digital planning providers like digital twins to additional enhance efficiencies. “It’s all [to] enhance the power effectivity for all the website general.”
In July, stc Group deployed Nokia’s MantaRay Cognitive SON in its industrial community. In keeping with Nokia, stc’s community efficiently maintained constant connectivity regardless of site visitors growing by 40% throughout the measured interval. Autonomous RAN operations additionally decreased handbook work and improved community high quality, the seller claimed.
Vodafone and Chunghwa Telecom, amongst others, are additionally utilizing the Noka MantaRay answer to realize a extra dynamic and power environment friendly RAN.
