It is rare to arrive at a house and not have an Internet connection. More than anything, because nowadays almost everyone is connected in some way to the network, be it by mobile data, fiber connection or ADSL. However, some other connection is more polluting. And not only this, but the light consumption is higher.
Although we think not, access to the Internet also contaminates, since behind the Internet there are a large number of systems and technologies that make it possible for us to have an Internet connection every day on our mobile phones, at home or at work. In addition to that, depending on the connection, the energy consumption you need is higher or lower. For this reason, we are going to see in detail which are the ones that produce the most pollution, as well as knowing which of these connections has the highest energy consumption.
Fiber, ADSL or mobile networks?
In order to get a clear answer to this question, Telefónica has prepared a report in which it is discussed which is the most polluting Internet connection and the one that requires the most energy cost to function. In this study, we can clearly see how the technology that pollutes the most today is ADSL.
In large part it is due to the use of copper, just as the greatest consumption of light occurs in this connection due to the different power stations and the wiring that reaches the homes of those people who still have this connection.
Although, this large part of the energy consumption is higher precisely due to the power stations and the cabling, however, by the users it is much less than what we can see in the case of fiber optics to the home.
Now below ADSL, we find the other technologies that Internet connection currently offers us, such as FTTH or mobile networks (2G, 3G, 4G and 5G). In this case, according to the study by the telecommunications company, we can see how the second most polluting technology today is the 2G and 3G mobile networks, as we can see in the graphs above from the Telefónica study.
Later, we find that the third most polluting option is the 4G and 5G networks. And, in last place, positioning itself as the technology that allows us to connect to the Internet more efficiently, according to the company’s report, is FTTH.
How did you prepare the report?
In order to find out which of these Internet connections had a greater impact on the environment, they have carried out the following test: to find out the impact produced by each technology for each PB (petabyte) transferred through each of these connections. And, from there, comes the result that it is much higher when using the connection via ADSL. For example, fiber optics have an environmental impact 18 times less than copper networks.
And if we go to mobile networks, it makes it clear that 4G and 5G connections produce a much lower amount of CO₂. Therefore, this result makes it clear that the trend will be to definitively turn off 2G and 3G connections, since it will be a positive point when it comes to polluting less. A process that we have been talking about so much over the years.
