Measurements and Modelling of Base Station Power Consumption under Real Traffic Loads

Abstract

Base stations represent the main contributor to the energy consumption of a mobile cellular network. Since traffic load in mobile networks significantly varies during a working or weekend day, it is important to quantify the influence of these variations on the base station power consumption. Therefore, this paper investigates changes in the instantaneous power consumption of GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) and UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) base stations according to their respective traffic load. The real data in terms of the power consumption and traffic load have been obtained from continuous measurements performed on a fully operated base station site. Measurements show the existence of a direct relationship between base station traffic load and power consumption. According to this relationship, we develop a linear power consumption model for base stations of both technologies. This paper also gives an overview of the most important concepts which are being proposed to make cellular networks more energy-efficient.

Publication
Sensors
Tonko Garma
Tonko Garma
Full Professor | Department of Electrical Measurements
Goran Petrović
Goran Petrović
Full Professor | Department of Electrical Measurements

Prof. dr. sc. Goran Petrović is a full professor at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Architecture in Split. His research interests include measurement of electrical and process quantities, analysis of geoelectrical and geothermal features of the soil, instrumentation for smart grids, measurement and application of synchrophasors. He is the author of numerous papers published in top-tier scientific journals and contributed to valuable international and national scientific projects.