Energy Efficiency Improvements through Micro Sites in Cellular Mobile Radio Networks

Efforts to increase the energy efficiency of information and communication systems in general and cellular mobile radio networks in particular has recently gained momentum. Besides positive environmental effects, lowering the energy consumption of mobile radio systems appears beneficial from an economical perspective. In this regard, the deployment of small, low power base stations, alongside conventional sites is often believed to greatly lower the energy consumption of cellular mobile radio networks. In this paper we investigate that matter in more detail from a deployment perspective. We evaluate potential improvements of the area power consumption achievable with network layouts featuring varying numbers of micro sites in addition to conventional macro sites for given system performance targets under full load conditions.

I. Introduction

The use and production of information and communication technologies contributes an increasing share to global green house gas emissions accounting for over 2% already in 2007 [1]. Within the communications sector a trend towards increasing the energy efficiency of key technologies can be observed. Although mobile radio networks are only a minor producer of green house gas emissions today [2], [3], significant challenges can be expected in the future. Over the past years, mobile telecommunication networks have shown exponentially increasing energy consumption figures, doubling almost every 4 years. Moreover, establishing western standards in communication services on a world wide scale would consume about 40% of today's global electrical power generation capabilities [3].