Vodafone takes the BESTT route to a green RAN

• Vodafone trials energy saving on antennas at Turkish test lab
• Operator achieved 10% energy savings using new software and hardware
• Low power mode allows antenna to operate on same power as a lightbulb

Vodafone Group has launched a trial in Türkiye to test how new radio antennas and advanced engineering can boost radio access network (RAN) performance and resilience while also saving on power.

Initial tests carried out at Vodafone’s Istanbul-based multi-vendor innovation hub, known as BESTT (Benchmark Environment Site Testing in Türkiye), saw the operator achieve up to 10% energy savings using new software and hardware-based power saving techniques.

Vodafone also demonstrated an additional 20% reduction in power using next generation radios, which allows the operator to dynamically add capacity to meet changing demand on the network. This allows customers to receive uninterrupted connections while reducing unnecessary power consumption, according to the telco.

In low power modes, Vodafone said its radio antenna can operate using just 10 watts of power, which is similar to a standard LED light bulb. This can be ramped up to full capacity (operating at around 50 watts) in around 30 seconds by reactivating Massive MIMO radios leveraging the 3.5GHz spectrum band, which is commonly used by Vodafone Türkiye in busy urban areas.

The operator noted also that the technology “strengthens network resilience” by enabling base stations to “run for longer on backup power supplies during electricity grid outages,” which “marks an important step in Vodafone’s ambition to build more sustainable, future-ready networks.”

Such developments are key not only to achieving environmental goals but to reducing operating costs. In the financial year to the end of March 2026, Vodafone Group spent €900m on energy, while its mobile, fixed line and technology centres accounted for almost 95% of its total energy consumption, it noted in its annual report. The RAN is frequently cited by telcos as the most power-hungry part of its operations.

Vodafone first launched commercial 5G in Türkiye in April, activating its network across all 81 provinces. The BESTT facility, which launched in 2021, replicates a live network to test and validate radio access network software and hardware.

Marco Zangani, Vodafone Group’s director of network strategy and architecture, stated: “I’m proud that we have been able to continuously push energy efficiency to its limits by switching off our radio units for very short periods, yet restore them to full operation within seconds. This helps us deliver a great mobile experience for customers while saving power and improving resilience during emergencies.”

- James Pearce, Editor, TelecomTV