Nokia and Telefonica hammered home the credentials of 5G as an environmental champion, stating joint research found the technology to be up to 90 per cent more energy efficient than 4G networks.

In a statement, Nokia said the pair conducted a three-month trial into energy use on Telefonica’s RAN which revealed 5G was “significantly more efficient than legacy technologies” in terms of energy consumption per traffic unit.

While noting 5G was a “greener” technology than prior generations, the vendor emphasised the need for “further action to enhance energy efficiency” and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

It believes such improvements could be achieved through power saving features, deployment of small cells, and use of new architectures and protocols.

Tommi Uitto, president of Mobile Networks at Nokia, noted the study highlighted how operators can be aware of energy usage and so take measures to “be more environmentally responsible while allowing them to achieve significant cost savings”.

Telefonica’s director of operational transformation Juan Manuel Caro added the operator remained “committed to supporting action on climate change” and promoting this in its corporate culture.