ENERGY REDUCTION
Beyon partners with Ericsson to build energy-efficient wireless networks in Bahrain
Bahrain based Beyon announced it has renewed its sustainability Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Ericsson to expand their joint sustainability initiatives and circular economy practices for building energy-efficient networks in Bahrain.
The MoU renewal was signed by Beyon Chief Communications & Sustainability Officer Shaikh Bader bin Rashid Al Khalifa and Vice President and Head of Gulf Council Countries at Ericsson Middle East and Africa, Nicolas Blixell.
The companies also announced the successful outcomes of their sustainability collaboration, signed in early 2024, for accelerating the journey to a Net Zero future for both companies and managing Waste from Electronic and Electrical Equipment (WEEE).
Key achievements during the year include the initiation of ‘Ericsson Product Take-Back Programme’, which addresses the issue of e-waste and enables recycling of end-of-life electronic and electrical equipment in a responsible and sustainable way.
Software such as Cell Sleep Mode and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered MIMO Sleep Mode were also implemented on pilot sites, leading to a 22% average reduction in energy consumption where the features were activated.
Another 18% percent energy reduction was apparently achieved through the deployment of the single-antenna footprint Interleaved AIR 3218, compared to AIR 3227, to provide “5G Massive MIMO while addressing space constraints on rooftops and towers.”
“Our partnership with Ericsson demonstrates the substantial progress that can be made through focused sustainability initiatives,” said Shaikh Bader bin Rashid Al Khalifa, Beyon Chief Communications & Sustainability Officer. “The outcomes reflect our commitment to energy efficiency and our goal to reduce our environmental footprint through innovative technologies and circular economy practices. Ultimately these efforts fall in line with the Kingdom of Bahrain’s vision to achieve its sustainable development goals of 2030.”
Nicolas Blixell, Vice President and Head of Gulf Council Countries at Ericsson Middle East and Africa added: “The results of our collaboration with Beyon highlight the role of technologies in achieving sustainability goals. By leveraging our expertise and technologies, we have been able to deliver measurable energy savings and support Beyon in their journey towards Net Zero.”
Earlier this year, Three and Ericsson claimed to have improved energy efficiency by up to 70% at selected sites through AI, data analytics and a ‘Micro Sleep’ feature. The deployment of ‘next-generation AI-powered hardware and software solutions’ from Ericsson is part of a network modernisation initiative Three had been engaged in over the previous 18 months, we were told at the time.
Ericsson and Beyon share a longstanding relationship, through its telecom arm Batelco, with this sustainability collaboration marking another milestone in their efforts to enhance network efficiency and environmental performance across Beyon’s operations.
References: