Ericsson has partnered with etisalat by e& to deploy a zero-footprint radio access network (RAN) site in its network in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), in line with e&’s sustainability strategy. The deployment focuses on carbon emission reduction, energy efficiency enhancement and resource conservation, which also aligns with the objectives of the UAE Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative.
The partners have upgraded an existing high-configuration radio site, located in Dubai, using a combination of Ericsson’s zero-footprint solution and the latest generation of Ericsson Radio System multi-band, multi-sector and multi-technology products. Evolution to a zero-footprint RAN site eliminated the need for an enclosure.
An Ericsson zero-footprint focused RAN site is a compact, easy to install and energy-efficient site build solution that does not require any ground footprint and is entirely based on the zero-footprint power solution, and fan-less convection cooling. It is an evolved radio site deployment solution associated with a substantial reduction in energy consumption, lowered carbon dioxide emissions, and preventive maintenance requirements along with a more efficient use of materials such as steel, copper and concrete, which helps reduce carbon footprint.
The pilot implementation demonstrated a reduction in energy consumption on a site level by 47 percent, which is equivalent to a 15 tonnes reduction in carbon emissions (CO2) per year. In addition, etisalat by e& has benefited from simplifying the site connectivity, reducing the number of remote radio units from eighteen to only three, cutting down the preventive maintenance and civil engineering costs and requirements, using the Interleaved AIR advanced antenna solution that interleaves 5G Massive MIMO with the passive antenna, and having all existing frequency-division duplexing (FDD) LTE layers ready to support 5G.
Khalid Murshed, Chief Technology and Information Officer, etisalat by e&, says: “With e& as the Principal Technology Partner at COP28, it is on track to meet its 2030 net-zero target as it accelerates the implementation of climate action projects in its UAE operations. The Group’s climate action projects, implemented by etisalat by e& in the UAE, include investments and efforts to modernise the telecom network by injecting the most energy efficient equipment in energy hungry nodes and elements in order to have an accelerated impact, in addition to deploying smart power saving and shutdown features that would optimise and control power consumption.”
Ekow Nelson, Vice President and Head of Global Customer Unit for e& at Ericsson Middle East and Africa, says: “At Ericsson, we are dedicated to helping our partners implement and maintain cutting-edge infrastructure that meets today’s needs while accommodating tomorrow’s growth prospects, and we stand by etisalat by e& in its quest for Net Zero. Our end-to-end solutions for the construction of 5G radio sites are future-proof as well as cost-effective, helping our customers optimise their use of energy and resources to make their sites more sustainable.”
Ericsson has a long-standing partnership with etisalat by e& spanning many years. On the sidelines of COP27 in 2022, etisalat by e& and Ericsson also partnered to explore initiatives aimed at reducing energy consumption and building more efficient and sustainable future networks.
