However, over 90 percent of respondents believe that 5G will lead to higher energy costs, and they are also interested in technologies and services that improve efficiency. This conclusion is consistent with internal analysis conducted by Vertiv, which estimates that the shift to 5G will likely increase total network energy consumption by 150-170 percent by 2026, with the largest increases occurring in macro, node, and data center areas.

The survey asked more than 100 global telecom operators about the opportunities and potential obstacles to deploying 5G services and the impact on the adoption of edge computing. 

“The challenge for operators considering 5G will be to choose the most mature use cases, verticals, and ecosystems where they can play a significant and sustainable role. The research Vertiv has conducted on edge computing use cases and archetypes, along with the latest survey of 451 respondents, will help our operator customers and telecom partners build stronger business cases for 5G investments and associated edge computing deployments,” explained Giordano Albertazzi, President for Vertiv in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

With regard to Edge and 5G specifically, the survey reveals that the vast majority of operators have implemented (37 percent) or plan to deploy (47 percent) edge computing, aligned with the mobile infrastructure, also known as multi-access edge computing (MEC).

“This survey provides clarity on the hopes and fears of telecom operators regarding 5G and edge deployments,” explains Brian Partridge, vice president of research at 451 Research. “According to the results, the two most difficult connectivity challenges to support 5G topologies are upgrading access and aggregation layer networks, as well as adding new backhaul links. Respondents indicated that the availability of high-quality connectivity for distributed POPs and ease of site acquisition were considered the most important factors for 5G success. We are frankly surprised by some of these results and believe they provide clarity on the level of transformation the industry is facing.”

In addition to this recent survey, Vertiv has been conducting extensive research in the field, analyzing more than 100 use cases to define the four main archetypes of edge computing, recently launching the study, “Activating 5G: Using Edge Archetypes to Identify the Most Mature Use Cases”, in order to quantify the potential impact of specific 5G deployments.

In addition to the key tactical points of convergence between 5G and edge computing, the study by 451 Research and Vertiv examines some of the potential obstacles to 5G adoption and, more importantly, the steps operators can take to mitigate them, such as Energy Savings as a Service (ESaaS). According to the survey, over 90 percent of respondents indicated they are very or moderately interested in ESaaS.

At last year's MWC, Vertiv developed a comprehensive Energy Services as a Service (ESaaS) contract for Telefónica, covering all aspects from initial site assessment to end-to-end maintenance services and fit-for-purpose infrastructure solutions for core and access sites. Together with its partners and customers, Vertiv is developing new infrastructure, software, and services to help manage the energy requirements associated with 5G and proactively optimize energy use.