Glass instead of copper - for the sake of the environment
No more interruptions during video conferences and no more lag when streaming a movie – fiber-optic cables transmit our data much faster than copper cables and without a hitch. However, they offer another key advantage too – they use much less energy in the process. And that’s not all. Fiber-optic cables are much more durable, which means they need less frequent maintenance and repairs.
These are unbeatably good reasons for pressing ahead with the fiber-optic network – to benefit our quality of life and the environment. This is why Deutsche Telekom is working hard to expand its fiber-optic network. In 2022, we made it possible for some two million additional households in Germany to order fiber-optic connections – almost double the increase achieved in the previous year. In 2023, we picked up the pace of our expansion still further and created more than 2.5 million new fiber-optic connections for households and businesses. We are further expanding our network in Europe too. In late 2022, our national companies offered some 8.1 million households the opportunity to order a direct connection to our fiber-optic network. The faster the expansion takes place, the better it is for the environment. After all, only when all households have a fiber-optic connection will it be possible to switch off the copper network and thus save the power currently used to operate it. To find out where in Germany fiber-optic connections are available, go to telekom.de/glasfaser (German only).
When it comes to transmitting data, fiber-optic cables need less electricity than copper ones – up to 90 percent less. Among other research, this was the finding of a study by Berkeley University that was published in the “Energy Policy” journal in 2014. Fiber-optic cables are more energy-efficient than copper cables, because they transmit data with less energy loss and do not generate any heat. What’s more, much higher volumes of data can be transmitted all at once via fiber-optic cables. This makes data transmission faster, more reliable, and – most importantly – more environmentally friendly. Moreover, to make the cable installation process as fast and environmentally friendly as possible, we use the “trenching” method wherever we can. With this technique, there is no longer any need for a digger to tear open the earth and dig a wide, deep ditch. Instead, a special milling machine cuts a slit measuring between five and twelve centimeters wide, into which the cable is placed. When this technique is used, hundreds of meters of cable can be laid underground in a single day. This speeds up the expansion of the fiber-optic network, but that’s not all – it is also much more cost-effective and protects the environment too.
Sleep tight, internet! Why the network goes to sleep and how this helps protect the climate
When the sun gives way to the starry sky, we human beings are not the only ones to take our well-deserved night’s rest. When we go to sleep, the network goes to sleep too. Well, it closes one eye, at least. After all, we can, of course, still make phone calls, send emails, and shop online during the night – not to mention contact the emergency services at any time if need be. But when most people are asleep, we obviously use the network much less, so some of the network capacity is set to sleep mode too. This saves a lot of electricity. The savings are substantial, especially since we have been applying this measure all across Germany since late 2019. The result is savings of around 13 gigawatt hours each year. This is good for the climate. When the consumption of green energy in the network is reduced, this excess electricity can be diverted to other places where electricity from coal-fired power stations that pollute the environment might otherwise have to be used.
How artificial intelligence is helping make the network greener
Besides the energy-saving techniques described above, we also hope to make increasing use of artificial intelligence in the future to make our network even more efficient and sustainable. Based on an inconceivably large volume of data, AI can calculate forecasts to predict how much bandwidth will be needed in which sectors of the network and when. It may help to imagine the technology a bit like a highway, with individual “lanes” that can be switched on and off. When only a small volume of data traffic is anticipated, lanes can be deactivated accordingly. Each time a lane is switched off, valuable electricity is saved. Networked sensors simultaneously record the actual data traffic and quickly activate additional lanes if more bandwidth than estimated by the AI is unexpectedly needed.
Artificial intelligence could save much more electricity than night mode does. There is another advantage, too – the AI can also be used to monitor different quality parameters. This means the network can be operated more efficiently, but without any detrimental impact on its speed.
We are expanding our fiber-optic network and 5G at record speed, and we have more than just purely economic considerations in mind here. After all, we consider the expansion of our networks to be an integral part of our responsibility to society. Everyone should be able to participate in the opportunities that digitalization brings – but to be able to participate, people need fast, high-performance internet access. This is why, in 2022, we invested some 21 billion euros in our network across the Group. At the same time, we are on the way to making our green network more and more environmentally friendly. The new 5G mobile standard is opening up whole new dimensions for a sustainable future.
5 fabulous facts about
5 fabulous facts about 5G
5G makes surfing the net a much smoother experience
Imagine you’re jogging along a country path. Suddenly, a plane traveling at 700 km/h passes right over your head. That’s roughly the difference in speed between 4G and 5G. The difference is massive. In terms of speed alone, 5G is up to 100 times faster than the 4G standard, which is also known as LTE.
100XULTRAFAST
How long does it take to download a two-hour movie onto your smartphone?
At the same time, 5G enables extremely fast response times of less than a millisecond. This is perhaps less important when streaming YouTube videos. But it is, for example, when a driver is controlling a truck remotely via the internet. If he has to brake, the brake signal must arrive at the truck in real time. Or when a surgeon from New York operates on a patient in Germany via the Internet. This is only possible if signals are transmitted in real time over long distances. Real-time transmission can also make the difference between winning and losing in gaming. More on this in the special topic Gaming.
5G makes our smart homes much smarter still
Even without 5G, smart homes have improved our quality of life within our own four walls. Examples include lights that switch on automatically as we move around our homes in the evenings. However, without 5G, the technology behind these smart features quickly reaches its limits. If, for example, you want to use your smart watch to switch on a smart lamp, your smart watch sends a signal to the router, which in turn sends the command on to the Google or Apple cloud (depending on the smart watch). From there, the command is sent on to the smart lamp provider’s cloud. In turn, this cloud sends the command back to the router, which then finally sends the signal to the lamp. The lamp then switches on – albeit with a noticeable delay.
5G is completely revolutionizing this, because with 5G, all smart devices can be directly connected to the Internet of Things rather than via a circuitous route involving the home Wi-Fi. This makes it possible for all things to communicate with one another directly and in real time.
If, for example, a burglar climbs into your garden, the security camera immediately transmits a crystal-clear image to your cell phone via the 5G network in real time, without any delay or circuitous route.
Say goodbye to light switches, heating thermostats, and garden water faucets. The smart home will do a lot of your work for you and help you save energy and resources.
Live a safer, more environmentally friendly life in the 5G smart city
Imagine you’re driving your car to go and visit friends on the other side of town. Suddenly, there’s a loudspeaker announcement in your car, warning you that there’s an accident round the next bend and you need to slow down! Roadside sensors detect a traffic jam and recommend an alternative route for you to take, saving you a lot of time and stress. After enjoying dinner with your friends, you set off back home in the dark. To save electricity, the street lights only come on at the parts of the route you are driving at any particular time. A traffic light switches to green for you, as there is nobody approaching the junction from another direction. Shortly afterward, your car issues a warning: “Look out! A cyclist is coming out in front of your car from the left!” as you drive along a pitch-black side street. The following morning, you are not woken by the noise of the garbage being collected, since sensors in the household garbage cans transmit a signal to indicate they do not need to be emptied yet, so there is no need for the garbage truck to come by.
It sounds like science fiction – but 5G can revolutionize our lives in smart cities and guide us through the urban jungle more safely. It will help us save energy and protect the environment. One crucial factor is that 5G is capable of interconnecting the sheer number of cars, bikes, traffic lights, street lamps, household appliances – practically everything, in fact – in the first place. However, the fact that 5G can do this in real time is also key. This can even make the difference between life and death, such as in the case of a car receiving a warning signal about a cyclist who is about to cross its path, and immediately braking. Read on to find out more about the possibilities networking will offer us in the near future.
Even today, connected functions are possible via the 4G network. The “Digital Guardian Angel” developed by Continental and Deutsche Telekom gives cyclists and pedestrians more visibility, thanks to real-time networking and collision warnings. For example, the app calculates the projected route of a car and a bike. If their paths are likely to cross, the system warns both parties in real time via the mobile network. Readers of Autobild and Computerbild magazines chose the “Digital Guardian Angel” app as the winner of the 2021 Connected Car Award, in the “safety” category. In 2022, the Digital Guardian Angel won the Sustainability Award in the “sustainable solutions” category.
5G is revolutionizing the digitalization of agriculture
Drones, robots, self-driving combine harvesters – 5G is revolutionizing work in the fields, which is not only good for the climate, but for farmers too.
Those of us who have driven a tractor as an activity on a family vacation may think of it as great fun. However, driving in lines that are as precise as possible from morning till night, sometimes in scorching heat and with poor visibility in the evenings, is a really tough job.
John Deere, the American heavyweight for agricultural machinery, launched its first autonomous tractor – the 8R – in 2022. Cameras on the tractor monitor the surroundings, and artificial intelligence analyzes the recorded images. According to John Deere, this means the autonomous tractor can operate within less than 2.5 cm of accuracy. The farmer can monitor proceedings live via a smartphone app and adjust speed, depth, etc., as required. The 8R therefore works much more efficiently and saves far more resources than a farmer sitting behind the wheel could. However, the tractor can only drive in perfect lines with the help of GPS and mobile network tracking. Thanks to 5G, it is possible to improve the accuracy of positioning with real-time data. And that’s not all – different pieces of agricultural equipment can be interconnected with the help of 5G. This means harvesting equipment such as combine harvesters, balers, and loading vehicles can exchange data about their positions and the progress of their work, and thus work together effectively.
There are more examples that illustrate how 5G can help make agriculture more sustainable. Amongst other things, for instance, farmers can use sensors and 5G to help them monitor the soil quality of their fields in real time and adjust the quantity and type of fertilizer accordingly. Overfertilization can thus be avoided. Seed drills can also distribute seeds onto the field very precisely thanks to 5G. This means no seeds are wasted and also ensures optimal plant density is achieved.
Drones can use 5G to transmit real-time images of fields. Consequently, pest infestations can be detected early, so that targeted action can be taken, thus reducing the use of pesticides and improving harvest yields. With the help of soil sensors and 5G, the moisture content of the soil can be monitored in real time. This allows irrigation systems to be precisely controlled, thereby saving water.
Autonomous robots can tackle weeds with the help of 5G. Cameras send photos to an AI system that is capable of distinguishing weeds from agricultural plants. The robots can then specifically get rid of the weeds, ideally without using pesticides. This system can also be used to combat invasive plants that oust native species and offer animals little nutrition.
To ensure that the valuable resource of drinking water is not wasted when irrigating fields, it is important to have a good overview of water consumption at all times. That's why Deutsche Telekom has networked a farmer's water wells in Diepholz.
