Energy optimization with AI: cell DTX/DRX, carrier shutdown, load-aware energy saving

Energy Consumption Challenge in 5G

Radio access networks consume approximately 73% of total mobile network energy, and 5G has intensified this challenge. Massive MIMO panels with 64 TRX chains consume 2-3x more power than legacy 4G radios. mmWave sites require dense deployment with high per-site power consumption. Yet network traffic follows pronounced daily patterns — peak utilization rarely exceeds 30% during nighttime hours. Traditional networks run all cells at full power regardless of load, wasting enormous amounts of energy. AI-driven energy optimization exploits this load variability to reduce consumption by 15-30%…