Grameenphone Orders Solar-Powered Base Stations

Bangladesh based operator, Grameenphone has commissioned a solar-powered base station from Huawei. Huawei will install its base stations, using a solar and diesel generator hybrid power solution to provide mobile connectivity in rural areas. 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.

"As Bangladesh' s key telecom operator and a responsible corporate citizen, GP is committed to investing in green mobile network," said Mr. Oddvar Hesjedal, Chief Executive Officer of GP. "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."

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. These savings will offset GP' s capital investment in just two-to-three years.

Posted to the site on 17th August 2009