Energy efficiency, and broader sustainability, will be an essential aspect of next-generation telecoms networks and the industry needs a joined-up strategy that takes in the whole telecoms supply chain, not just the networks and the operators themselves. The 5G standards framework set out by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) established ambitious targets for reduced power consumption compared to 4G, which 5G radios have come close to meeting, but the efficiencies of a single base station can be cancelled out by the larger numbers of cell sites and antenna arrays that 5G involves, compared to 4G. This example highlights how a different, and far more holistic, view will need to be taken to telecoms sustainability in future, engaging the whole industry…