The increasing environmental impact of the telecom industry has heightened the need for sustainable telecommunications networks. With skyrocketing data traffic and 5G gaining a foothold, telecom operators are under pressure to sustain digital growth while meeting their environmental responsibilities. In this paper, we discuss two fundamental drivers of sustainability in the telecom sector, namely, the design of environmentally friendly networks and the implementation of circular economy (CE) principles. Energy efficiency is pursued through dynamic network sleep modes, AI-based traffic management, and the utilization of renewable energy sources in base stations and data centers. Concurrently, circular economy practices, including device second-hand sales, e-waste treatment, and equipment lifespan extension, are becoming increasingly popular to address resource demand and mitigate carbon footprint. Case histories from the world's largest operators demonstrate some of the reductions in power consumption and operational emissions, as well as the associated savings and public image benefits. Although these solutions are promising, the paper also highlights several limitations, including technology constraints, policy shortcomings, and the need for cross-sector partnerships. We conclude with research implications in the form of a sustainable perspective that integrates the green adoption of technology, circular supply chains, and the role of regulation in driving long-term environmental and economic sustainability in the telecom industry.

翻译：电信行业日益增长的环境影响加剧了对可持续通信网络的需求。随着数据流量的激增和5G技术的普及，电信运营商在维持数字增长的同时，面临着履行环境责任的压力。本文探讨了电信行业可持续性的两个基本驱动力：即环保型网络的设计与循环经济（CE）原则的实施。能效提升通过动态网络休眠模式、基于AI的流量管理以及基站点和数据中心对可再生能源的利用来实现。与此同时，循环经济实践（包括设备二手销售、电子废弃物处理以及设备寿命延长）正日益普及，以应对资源需求并减轻碳足迹。来自全球最大运营商的案例研究表明，这些措施在降低功耗和运营排放方面取得了一定成效，并带来了相应的成本节约与公众形象提升。尽管这些解决方案前景可期，本文也指出了若干局限性，包括技术限制、政策不足以及跨部门合作的必要性。最后，我们从可持续视角出发，提出了将绿色技术采纳、循环供应链及监管作用相结合的研究启示，以推动电信行业实现长期的环境与经济可持续性。