This article identifies energy-saving potential of the fifth generation (5G) Radio Access Network, and describes main energy-saving principles and technologies. It explores how to use network energy saving technologies, such as carrier shutdown, channel shutdown, and symbol shutdown in 5G network, that have been inherited from 4G. Some enhanced technologies for 5G like equipment deep sleep and symbol aggregation have also been introduced in this article. However, it is far from enough and an innovative energy-saving solution should be considered. To meet the requirements and development of intelligent and self-adaptive energy-saving solution, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and big data analysis are introduced to form a more precise energy-saving strategy based on site-specific traffic and site-related conditions, thus improving the efficiency and reducing the manpower. Finally, two commercial application practices of AI-based energy-saving solution are elaborated. One is the practice of AI-based service awareness energy saving for 4G/5G collaborative networks, the energy benefits can be improved up to 20%; The other practice is the adoption of a new architecture Active Antenna Unit (AAU) with beam pattern optimization, its energy benefits can be promoted by 30%. These two practices could help mobile network operators (MNOs) to achieve the most energy-efficient network with good network performance and lower Operating Expense (OPEX).
The quality authenticity of organic agricultural products has always been a hot issue for consumers. Blockchain’s advantages in information traceability and preventing data from being tampered with can reduce fake and counterfeit products, increasing the consumers’ trust in the quality of organic agricultural products. Considering market segmentation of consumer types in organic agricultural products (OPs) and conventional agricultural products (CPs), this study builds a game-theoretical model to explore how participants decide between blockchain traceability platforms and organic subsidy strategies. Results show that the producer should introduce the blockchain when the fraction of blockchain technology’s total cost shared by the producer is smaller and the fixed cost of implementing blockchain is higher or when the fraction of blockchain technology’s total cost shared by the producer is higher and the fixed cost of implementing blockchain is lower. The retailer is inclined to an organic subsidy, and the smaller the market proportion of undifferentiated-conscious consumers (UCCs), the more inclined the retailer is to the organic subsidy strategy. In addition, the market share of UCCs positively promotes the sales quantities and supply chain profits of CPs but is not conducive to the sales quantities of OPs.
Comprehensive understandings about how to realize service capability greenness in the telecom sector are still rare. In this paper, a non-serial telecom supply chain consisting of an infrastructure supplier, a content provider and a telecom operator is formulated under environmental regulation. The telecom operator aims to find the optimal green procurement ratio between traditional and green equipment. Some common real-life situations are assumed, and the service capacity greenness problems are solved by game theory regarding coordination and interaction among supply chain partners. The results show that the prevailing concern of managers’ “energy saving is not money saving” is the direct reason for a mixed purchase strategy. Further, when diseconomy of purchasing energy-saving equipment reaches a certain threshold, tightening environmental regulation may cause telecom companies to reduce the proportion of energy-saving equipment purchased. Finally, the telecom sector is characterized by its booming service capacity per equipment, which benefits green purchase ratio greatly. When the other six influencing factors are relatively stable, the driving force of telecommunication technology update will push the telecom sector to a greener future.