The Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance (NGMN) has urged the telecoms industry to modernise and align energy‑metering standards across 5G RAN transport networks, arguing that operators need clear, consistent methods for assessing power use if they are to lower operational costs and meet climate commitments. In its latest guidance, the alliance says the current patchwork of standards bodies working independently has created a fragmented framework that makes it difficult to compare energy performance across front‑, mid‑ and backhaul systems.

NGMN stresses that as networks move further towards virtualised and cloud‑native designs, unified benchmarks and shared data models are essential for accurately tracking energy consumption at equipment, network‑function and even slice level. The report calls for stronger collaboration between standards organisations to harmonise definitions, interfaces and KPIs, enabling operators to monitor efficiency in a transparent, meaningful way. Industry leaders from Orange and Deutsche Telekom highlighted the urgency of the issue, noting that energy use is one of the sector’s biggest financial and environmental challenges.

The alliance also outlines the need for aligned APIs and metering approaches across transport technologies such as fibre, microwave and optical systems, particularly as operators manage increasingly complex, disaggregated networks. According to NGMN, consistent energy observability is a prerequisite for identifying optimisation opportunities and supporting long‑term carbon‑reduction goals. The recommendations build on previous work within its Green Future Networks programme, which aims to accelerate sustainability across global telecom infrastructure.