Electricity

Using electricity to run our networks (base stations and switching centres) is our biggest environmental effect. Our mobile networks account for around 85 per cent of our electricity consumption, with offices, call centres and retail stores accounting for the rest.

Overall, our absolute electricity consumption has continued to rise, driven by the expansion of our mobile network and the integration of our new business in the Czech Republic during 2006. 

Reducing our energy consumption and its effects on climate change, while continuing to grow the business, is our biggest environmental challenge. Our strategy of buying electricity from renewable or low-carbon sources means that, despite the rise in consumption, the resulting reported CO2 emissions have remained almost static. This is why we continue to place such emphasis on increasing the proportion of renewable electricity we use; it creates virtually no greenhouse gases.

Electricity consumption

¹ Different estimations and extrapolation methods have been used across the
Group where actual data was not available. As these processes improve and
become more consistent changes will occur to this data.

² Electricity consumption is reported for all premises and operations where O2
is the direct customer. Rented premises are included where possible, but some
may be excluded.

³ 2004/05 and 2005/06 cover the financial years from April to March. 2006 covers
the calendar year, as O2 is moving to calendar year financial reporting.

⁴ Uncorrected CO2 emissions do not take account of supply from low-carbon or
renewable sources of electricity. This assumes that all electricity is supplied
from the relevant national grid.
Factors used to convert kWh electricity to tonnes CO2: 0.00043 (UK, Defra
2005); 0.00049 (Germany, IEA 2002); 0.00067 (Ireland, IEA 2002); 0.00055
(The Czech Republic, CEZ 2006).

⁵ Mobile network numbers for 2006 include Telefónica O2 Czech Republic
for the first time.

⁶ A sim card is a tiny rectangular card found in all mobile phones that acts as an
ID card for the phone. The number of active sims is a good measure of the
output of our mobile phone network.
At the end of FY 2004/05 we had around 24,000,000 active sims and 28,100,000
at the end of FY 2005/06.
For 2006 we have used the number of mobile customers at year end as an
equivalent measure (around 35,400,000 including Airwave). This figure also
includes Telefonica O2 Czech Republic for the first time.

⁷ There were 24,648 base stations at the end of FY 2004/5, 27,635 at the end
of FY 2005/6 and 33,388 at the end of 2006.

⁸ This covers the fixed network operated by Telefónica O2 Czech Republic.

¹ Electricity consumption is reported for all premises and operations
Rented premises are included where possible, but some may be
² Excluding fixed-line network of Telefónica O2 Czech Republic

¹ Electricity consumption is reported for all premises and operations where O2 is the direct customer.
Rented premises are included where possible, but some may be excluded.

¹ There were 24,648 cell sites at the end of FY 2004/05; 27,635 at the end of FY 2005/06; and 33,388 at the end of 2006.
This figure includes Telefónica O2 Czech Republic for the first time.
 

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