Managing traffic - electricity ratio – Almost 5 times improvement of the network’s energy efficiency on the last 5 years.

At first glance, there seems to be no significant connection between watching TV series on streaming platforms and generating carbon emissions. The path by which video content reaches us, however, requires a significant amount of electricity - from the storage of base stations, the transfer of data between them and data centers, the transmission of signals to the device at home, etc. And the energy used has its own impact on the environment.

Today, the popularity of streaming, but also the demand for fast speeds and high-resolution content, are among the reasons for the growing consumption of mobile data. To respond to the unprecedented growth in traffic while maintaining stable levels of energy consumption, Jettel is committed to solving the seemingly impossible equation: more data transfer equals less electricity used. The result, which together with SETIN Bulgaria achieved over a period of 5 years, is more than expected - the energy efficiency of the network has improved by almost 5 times. The calculations are based on the ratio between the used electrical power and data traffic.

"For more than 10 years, we have been making various improvements to reduce electricity consumption. Even if the effect is minimal on one base station, we try to apply it everywhere, wherever possible, and thus multiply the results," says Yavor Tsokkov, head of "Network Infrastructure and Data Center Design" at SETIN.

One of the biggest challenges is cooling the rooms where the equipment is located. The heat it generates requires the use of air conditioners to maintain the optimal temperature, which increases electricity consumption. The solution that SETIN and Yettel found is in natural cooling - a special system that uses outside air during the winter and at night to lower the temperature. Another similar initiative is the positioning of radio devices - also a serious source of heat - outside the base station premises. And so, again, their temperature is naturally regulated.

Among the new implementations is the software functionality that distributes the amount of energy during different hours of the day, so as to maintain the same high level of coverage and quality of services. When traffic is light, usually at night, the software optimizes the operation of individual elements and thus reduces the amount of electricity used.

"When planning the development of the network, not only for energy efficiency, but also in terms of coverage, we always seek a balance between investments, quality and capacity. For this purpose, we regularly conduct in-depth analysis and monitoring of the network - based on them, we make forecasts for expected consumption and improvements in the network are made where there is a need." need", explained Iliya Dimchev, Senior Expert "Mobile Network Planning" at Yettel.

Transition to Green Energy

Indisputably, energy efficiency is the first step towards reducing the carbon footprint of the network. And the next important step is the transition to energy from renewable sources. The largest investment for both companies in this direction is the 10-year green energy purchase agreement with Electrohold Trade. Thanks to it, the main part of the consumption of both companies - 86% for SETIN and 80% for Yttel, is ensured by the 123 MW photovoltaic power plant "Berila". Only for 2023. The saved carbon emissions from the renewable energy used to power the network are equal to 11,700 tons, compared to the previous year's consumption, according to data from the 2023 Sustainability Report of Yettel. The green network is an important step in the efforts of both companies to reduce their negative impact on nature and to stimulate the transition to a low-carbon economy in the telecommunications sector.

In addition, the two data centers in Sofia and Plovdiv are equipped with solar panels on the roofs. With their help, the use of electricity from fossil fuels is further reduced, as is the use of energy from the sun. Photovoltaic systems provide about 10% of the consumption for both locations. Similar solar panels are also available at some of the base stations. Although they do not cover all consumption, they contribute to reducing the carbon footprint on nature.

The best green network

"The biggest improvement in the network so far is undoubtedly the launch of 5G. It provides higher speeds and lower latency, making it quite suitable for future technological developments in AI and automation. Therefore, our strategy is to direct more and more traffic to the 5G network and expand its coverage in the country," said Iliya Dimchev.

The fifth generation network of Yetel covers 71.3% of the country's population with the ambition to make 5G connectivity available to 85% of the population by 2026.

"We are also working on optimizing the transport infrastructure that ensures the connection between individual base stations, as well as the traffic from base stations to data centers. We are gradually renewing the equipment and optical cables, so as to increase their capacity and ensure higher speeds," says Yavor Tsokov.

In 2023 The Yetel network was awarded the seventh consecutive News in Test certificate by the independent organization umlaut, part of Ascenture. The results of the comparative analysis show that it not only achieves the best overall result, but also takes the lead in four other key subcategories - reliability, coverage, voice and latency. These results are based on well-planned and continuous improvements. In 2023 alone, Ytel and SETIN are investing in network improvements at nearly 3,000 locations, while also building dozens of new base stations.