An Overview of Techniques for Enhancing Energy Efficiency in 5G Networks

The 5th generation (5G) of cellular technology and networks offers high data speeds, low latency, increased network capacity, and larger bandwidth to deal with the increasing number of devices connected to the internet. 5G addresses challenges with limited internet capacity and has vast applications. For instance, 5G technology has made IoT deployments for healthcare and agriculture more feasible. Although 5G networks are more efficient than 4G networks, the significant increase in network traffic and density erodes these gains. Thus, there have been concerns regarding energy efficiency and the environmental impacts of 5G technology. 5G networks use technology and techniques that make their deployment and usage more energy and cost-efficient, making them more environmentally friendly and sustainable. This paper discusses how four techniques: network densification, dynamic spectrum management, energy harvesting, and Advanced Sleep Modes (ASMs) enhance the energy efficiency of 5G networks. A thorough literature review of current research related to these techniques is conducted. The paper finally identifies potential areas for future research on improving energy efficiency in 5G networks.