Telefonica recently highlighted the benefits of operator sustainability efforts by cutting costs through reduced network energy consumption efforts.
The operator noted use in 2025 was 12% lower than in 2015 and was achieved in the face of a 1,200% rise in data traffic over the period.
Telefonica credited a focus on improving network efficiency through more advanced energy management techniques, which it stated resulted in consumption of 29MWh per petabyte of traffic by 2025, 92% lower than in 2015.
It officially focused more on the service implications of the sustainability drive than the financial savings made, preferring to talk-up how a “technological evolution” of its infrastructure and data management techniques are contributing to lower energy consumption.
But it noted the energy optimisation moves are increasingly important in offsetting “risks associated with rising energy prices”.
Maya Ormazabal, global director of sustainability, said Telefonica is “able to move huge volumes of data using only a fraction of the electricity we needed a decade ago”.
The executive reasoned the change shows how “digitalisation and sustainability can go hand-in-hand”.
Telefonica positioned itself as a European frontrunner in terms of sustainability efforts.
It hailed a 49% drop in total carbon emissions between 2015 and 2025, a figure spanning its whole value chain.
Scope 1 and Scope 2 operational emissions are down 91%, with Scope 3 lowered by 34% since 2016.
Source: Mobile World Live
Image Credit: Telefonica
Source: Tahawul Tech