Nokia teamed with Japanese tech companies NTT and Anritsu to validate what they claimed is the world’s first proof of concept (PoC) for elastic networking, a technology designed to enhance energy efficiency in mobile networks.
Developed under trade body Innovative Optical and Wireless Network (IOWN) Global Forum, elastic networking reallocates network resources on demand. The technology allows operators to switch off radio and optical equipment when traffic is low and redirect network resources when demand is high. This “intelligent” resource allocation apparently does not compromise network performance even in densely populated urban areas.
Nokia touted the technology will help operators in Japan, including NTT, meet rising AI-driven bandwidth demands while reducing energy consumption.
In a statement, the vendor stated the PoC utilised Nokia’s high-performance optical solutions to demonstrate real-world energy savings.
James Watt, VP and GM Optical Networks Division at Nokia, affirmed that reducing energy consumption across the vendor’s product portfolio was a priority. “This successful PoC highlights the trusted performance and resilience of our optical products,” he stated, adding that the vendor plans to continue collaborating with industry players including IOWN to develop energy-optimised wireless networks.
The move aligns with Nokia’s previous energy-saving efforts, such as enhancing its energy efficiency software in 2023 with advanced algorithms and power-saving features, enabling operators to reduce network power consumption by up to 30 per cent.