Huawei, a provider of next-generation telecommunications network solutions for operators, has been selected by Grameenphone, a subsidiary of Telenor, to deploy Bangladesh’s first solar-powered base transceiver stations.
To provide mobile connectivity in rural areas, Huawei will install its fourth-generation base stations, using a solar and diesel generator hybrid power solution. The base stations will primarily be powered by harnessing solar energy without having to be linked to an electricity grid. The diesel generator will be used as a backup.
Once deployed, the new system will improve GP’ s network performance by preventing service interruption, a previously persistent challenge in Bangladesh due to power instability. It will also lower fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, and reduce the cost of refueling and site visits, thereby lowering GP’ s total cost of ownership. The company claims these savings will offset GP’ s capital investment in just two-to-three years.
"Huawei’ s competitive green power solution helps us utilize renewable energy and reduce our CO2 emissions while providing even better broadband services to our customers," said Oddvar Hesjedal, Chief Executive Officer of GP.
According to Tony Zhang, President of Huawei Bangladesh, green technology is one of the company’s most important strategies and they will continue to pursue “cutting-edge, cost-lowering” green solutions for all of their operator customers in Bangladesh and around the world.
Huawei’s green solutions for wireless broadband networks use a combination of solar energy, wind power and diesel fuel and, to date, have been adopted by some telecom operators around the world, e.g. Vodafone, Warid and China Mobile.
Grameenphone, a joint venture between Telenor of Norway (62%) and Grameen Telecom of Bangladesh (38%), is the largest telecommunications service provider in Bangladesh with more than 21 million subscribers as of March 2009. It has a nationwide EDGE-enabled network, covering nearly the entire population.
