SUSTAINABILITY

s both a key enabler of global sustainability and a significant energy consumer, the telecommunications industry is confronting a defining challenge to its traditional model of growth. On one hand, it is the fundamental enabler of a digitised, more efficient world, providing the connectivity that supports green transformations in almost every other sector. On the other hand, it is a significant and growing consumer of global energy, with an expanding infrastructure footprint that contributes to carbon emissions and a mounting e-waste crisis. The dual identity, as both a source of the problem and a key to its solution, defines the sector’ s challenge for the next decade.

To help navigate the complex landscape, NTT DATA’ s recent white paper,“ Rethinking Connectivity: A White Paper on Sustainable Telecom and Green Infrastructure,” presents a detailed roadmap for industry transformation.

Authored by Rakesh Ranjan Tiwari, Open Networks Center of Excellence Leader at NTT DATA, the paper explores how telecom operators can overcome the sustainability paradox and build a greener, more connected and profitable future.

Navigating the sustainability paradox The challenge for operators is immense. As the white paper outlines, the exponential growth in data traffic necessitates constant network

The increased energy efficiency of 5G networks compared to their predecessors like 4G

124 November 2025