Getting bang for your buck: telcos and virtual power plants

Sustained cost pressures and commitments to net zero have made energy efficiency a strategic priority for mobile operators, network infrastructure providers and tower companies. Working closely with a global set of mobile operators, GSMA Intelligence leveraged its independent position and analytical capabilities to launch its Energy Efficiency Analysis and Benchmarking project in 2020. The benchmark is based on real-world data inputs and aims to quantify network energy consumption, efficiency levels and fuel sources. For this edition, GSMA Intelligence invited infrastructure providers and tower companies to participate, sharing their data on energy efficiency.

Global Mobile Trends 2026 highlights the opportunities and innovations ahead, as well as the challenges facing the mobile industry and beyond. Covering topics including AI, 5G, autonomous networks, devices, security, quantum, satellites, energy innovation and eSIM, the report focuses on what matters in 2026 and the implications for the industry. The latest edition of Global Mobile Trends delivers expert insights into the key trends that will define the mobile ecosystem in 2026 and beyond. Backed by GSMA Intelligence’s industry-leading research and data, the report provides an authoritative look at the forces shaping the next wave of connectivity and innovation.

While there are several indicators and metrics in telecoms, the industry has traditionally lacked a global, comprehensive metric to measure environmental sustainability. In 2025, GSMA Intelligence developed the Green Network Index (GNI), which proposed a single figure to measure the overall environmental sustainability for telecoms networks and help establish a path to greener networks. The second edition of the Green Network Index has expanded to include 138 networks, benchmarking progress at the operator and country levels.