Cheng, Xiaoyuan;
Hu, Yukun;
Varga, Liz;
(2022)
5G network deployment and the associated energy consumption in the UK: A complex systems’ exploration.
Technological Forecasting and Social Change
, 180
, Article 121672. 10.1016/j.techfore.2022.121672.
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Abstract
Investing in the communication infrastructure transition requires significant scientific consideration of challenges, prioritisation, risks and uncertainties. To address these challenges, a bottom-up approach was used to demonstrate the future of wireless network transmission and deployment. This study developed an agent-based model to explore the future deployment of non-standalone 5G networks, synthesizing multi-dimensional data visualization. In particular, this research took the UK as an example to investigate the spatiotemporal dynamic characteristics of 5G evolution, and further analysed the energy consumption and carbon footprint of 5G networks, as well as the consequent change in the operating expenses pattern. The simulation results show that 700 MHz and 26 GHz will play an important role in 5G deployment in the UK, which allow base stations to meet short-term and long-term data traffic demands respectively. Furthermore, due to the geopolitical restrictions and embargos, telecommunications may face additional costs of £0.63bn to £1.19bn when deploying 5G radio access networks. Network densification may cause some environmental and economic problems. Take a medium demand scenario as an example, it is found that the electricity consumed by the 5G radio access network will account for more than 2.1% of the total electricity generation, and indirectly lead to 990,404 tonnes carbon emissions in 2030.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | 5G network deployment and the associated energy consumption in the UK: A complex systems’ exploration |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.techfore.2022.121672 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2022.121672 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. The images or other third-party material in this article are included in the Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in the credit line; if the material is not included under the Creative Commons license, users will need to obtain permission from the license holder to reproduce the material. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
| Keywords: | 5G network, Socio-technical systems, Energy consumption, Spatio-temporal evolution, Agent-based model |
| UCL classification: | UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science > Dept of Civil, Environ and Geomatic Eng UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS UCL |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10147213 |
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