Telecommunications provider SK Broadband has been making a host of new changes as part of its effort to speed up the environmental, social and corporate governance, or ESG, management, with a particular focus on reducing carbon emissions.

SK Broadband has been replacing old infrastructure, developing energy efficient products, and reducing energy consumption at network stations to match its carbon-emission-free goal.

According to company officials Sunday, the telecommunications company has torn down and replaced 21 Public Switch Telephone Networks from 2014 to 2019. The PTSN was introduced in the 90s to provide services and infrastructure for public telecommunication. While used less frequently today, it consumes the highest amount of energy, 390MWh, among existing telecommunication infrastructure.

SK Broadband plans to remove the remaining 20 PTSN stations and reduce some 15,978MWh of energy, or 7,449 tons’ worth of greenhouse gas emissions by 2024.

The company has also developed an energy efficient set-top box, with parts that can reduce standby power by 50 to 65 percent more than the same product made by competitors.

SK Broadband inked a deal with the government-backed Korea Electric Power Corp., to purchase 615MWh of renewable energy every year. This will be used to power SK Broadband’s satellite center in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province.

Early on, SK Broadband and 6 other SK Group affiliates joined the “RE100”, a global initiative seeking to source 100 percent of corporate energy sources with renewables by 2050. As a commitment to the global campaign, SK Broadband plans to source 60 percent of its energy consumption from renewables by 2030, its officials said.

By Kang Jae-eun (kang.jaeeun@heraldcorp.com)