Power management for distributed antenna system

A method comprising:

• monitoring a utilization metric for a remote unit in a telecommunication system, wherein the utilization metric comprises data indicative of one or more terminal devices being available for communication with the remote unit;
• determining that the remote unit is underutilized based on the monitored utilization metric;
• configuring the remote unit for a low-power operation in response to determining that the remote unit is underutilized to manage power consumption in the telecommunication system;
• and
• executing a scheduling algorithm for determining that the telecommunication system is operating during a low-utilization period, wherein the monitoring is performed based on determining that the telecommunication system is operating during the low-utilization period.

A power management subsystem comprising:

• a measurement module configured for monitoring a utilization metric for a remote unit in a telecommunication system, wherein the utilization metric comprises data indicative of one or more terminal devices being available for communication with the remote unit;
• and
• an optimization module configured for:
• determining whether the remote unit is underutilized based on the monitored utilization metric;
• and
• configuring the remote unit for a low-power operation in response to determining that the remote unit is underutilized to manage power consumption in the telecommunication system;
• wherein the data indicative of the one or more terminal devices being available for communication with the remote unit comprises data indicative of at least one of a bandwidth and a data rate used by the one or more terminal devices.

A distributed antenna system comprising:

• a plurality of remote units configured for wirelessly communicating with terminal devices in a coverage zone, wherein each remote unit of the plurality of remote units comprises a respective utilization detection device for detecting data indicative of a respective utilization metric for the remote unit, wherein the respective utilization metric comprises data indicative of one or more terminal devices being available for communication with the remote unit;
• and
• a unit communicatively coupleable to a base station and communicatively coupled to the plurality of remote units, wherein the unit is configured for:
• monitoring the utilization metrics for the plurality of remote units,
• determining whether at least one remote unit of the plurality of remote units is underutilized based on at least one of the monitored utilization metrics, and
• configuring the at least one remote unit for a low-power operation in response to determining from the at least one of the monitored utilization metrics that the at least one remote unit is underutilized;
• wherein the data indicative of the one or more terminal devices being available for communication with the remote unit comprises data indicative of at least one of a bandwidth and a data rate used by the one or more terminal devices.