Indian telco Bharti Airtel and Nokia have partnered on a “Green 5G” initiative to introduce energy-efficient solutions and practices to Airtel's mobile network.

The initiative plans to enhance energy efficiency across Airtel's extensive 4G/5G radio access network through AI and machine learning, as well as several software features and innovative solutions.

According to the companies, the initiative is expected to enhance energy efficiency during peak and off-peak hours. It is projected to reduce Airtel's carbon emissions by an estimated 143,413 tons of CO2 annually.

Critical aspects of the initiative include a push for zero-traffic, zero-watt operation, the combination of Nokia's advanced energy-saving features with Airtel's AI/ML algorithms, a move to a digital design for enhanced energy efficiency, and the deployment of a ReefShark System-on-Chip which provides improved energy efficiency by adapting internal resources to actual processing needs resulting in an additional 15 percent reduction in energy consumption.

The collaboration is in line with Airtel's emissions reduction targets across its operations. The company has already deployed several initiatives, including deploying solar-powered systems at around 25,000 sites and increasing renewable energy usage at its data centers, sourcing 220,541MWh through green power wheeling agreements and captive solar rooftop plants in FY2024.

Randeep Sekhon, Bharti Airtel's CTO, commented on the deal, saying: "This partnership allows us to leverage innovative solutions that deliver substantial energy savings, enabling us to significantly reduce our carbon footprint and further our environmental objectives in alignment with our business strategy."

Bharti Airtel has experienced significant expansion since 2024. So far, in 2024, it has built more than 1,700 new cell towers in Gujarat, India. The company's tower deployment is equivalent to connecting around eight cell towers daily.