When carriers broached the subject of sustainability with Huawei at MWC Barcelona 2022, none asked about the use of fossil fuels or renewable resources, according to Huawei CTO Paul Scanlan.

This indicates, at least with respect to Huawei’s radio access network (RAN) customers, that wireless network operators still largely view sustainability in terms of dollars and cents rather than a pressing global need to shift to renewable energy. 

“I don’t recall anybody asking about the component mix of fossil versus non-fossil fuel unless it’s very specific at the rural site,” Scanlan said during a media briefing at the end of the event. 

Carriers that did ask about the type of energy used were mostly interested in Huawei’s pre-integrated equipment that includes a baseband and backhaul in a single unit for less populated locations that might not have reliable access to energy, he explained. 

Energy remains one of the largest costs for network operators globally. While most carriers and equipment vendors strive to reduce those costs or at least get more capacity and coverage for the same costs associated with older equipment, there remains less emphasis globally on the sources for that energy.

Indeed, Scanlan highlighted multiple recently announced Huawei products that do more at the same cost or allow operators to cut costs by using more energy-efficient equipment. 

Massive MIMO radio advancements and software fused with artificial intelligence (AI) aim to achieve these goals. 

Huawei claims its IntelligentRAN wireless network architecture can decrease energy consumption by at least 25%. Moreover, its third-generation MetaAAU and BladeAAU series of massive MIMO gear claims to increase capacity and coverage by 30% compared to previous generation equipment, or save operators 30% on energy without boosting performance. 

The company’s third-generation Massive MIMO radios pack double the amount of antennas as the previous generation, lifting total antenna elements from 192 to 384 in a similar package.

“For the same electricity, same power consumption as that conventional 64T/64R set of specs in 200 megahertz bandwidth, same power output, you get 30% more capacity or 30% more coverage, he said. Alternatively, operators could cut energy consumption by 30% without boosting coverage or capacity, Scanlan added. 

“The methodology that we’ve generally been approaching in trying to talk about green 5G is starting with the demand curve. So as there is growth, if there is growth, you need to service it with something. You have a choice,” he said. 

Carriers have been chasing and trying to keep up with compounding network traffic growth since the dawn of the smartphone era. 

In a 5G network, a 64T/64R massive MIMO unit that supports 100 megahertz of spectrum with coding modulation and framing improvements can create up to 20-times more headroom, according to Scanlan. This provides operators with the flexibility to deliver more capacity or similar capacity, depending on traffic demands.

Newer massive MIMO hardware heightens that headroom even further with additional antenna arrays and support for up to 200 megahertz of spectrum.

Of course, access to critical components is key for any RAN vendor but especially so for Huawei, which continues to struggle amid ongoing sanctions that limit its ability to acquire specialized silicon and other parts.

“It is a challenge. It’s going to continue to be a challenge when you can’t get access to certain types of components,” Scanlan said. 

While software can help compensate for some requirements that determine the weight and size of radios, Huawei’s ability to put a 7-nanometer chip inside versus two or three 14- or 22-nanometer chips makes a big difference in the footprint of the product, he added. 

“You don't need a  7-nanometer chip to make a good radio base station, but you do need very good material science. Because weight is a significant problem for the operator,” Scanlan said. 

“You want to make the thing lighter and smaller physically because light and small contribute directly to the site rental and the site-installation costs. And of course, you still want to focus on the most important part, which is year-on-year reduction of power consumption, and either getting the same performance or better performance,” he added.

Nonetheless, Huawei undertakes a lot of extra work because it can’t buy necessary chips off the shelf. While it continues to improve upon the performance of its massive MIMO gear, global sanctions present a global challenge that shows no sign of relenting.