A telecom energy vision to 2005 - Power for future telecom networks and customer equipment

This paper intends to present a vision of what the energy supply of telecom networks could be like in the year 2005. It deals with society's development towards an ever-increasing dependence on continuously operating telecommunications and on power supply. Light is shed on the convergence of different kinds of telecom networks into one universal telecom network together with the convergence of telecom networks and supply mains. The technology of broadband transmission on copper at the same time opened for the possibility of transmission of communication in the supply mains. Telecom networks and supply mains amalgamated in the access networks in a great number of new points because the broadband equipment requires power supply. Changes in the conditions of the powering of the new telecom networks is described together with the new structure of the telecom networks. Ever-increasing demands are raised for independent energy supply of the telecom networks during prolonged failures of the public energy supply. The strategy of powering the access networks and the customer equipment with remote power supply without battery backup is discussed. The powering of future emergency communication systems and different environmental aspects related to energy are focused.