How to measure emissions from Digital network operator

What counts as Digital network operator

Network operator activity associated with data traffic carried on behalf of an organisation's sold products or services — for example fixed or mobile network segments used to deliver a digital product to end users. Applies to organisations that provide or resell network-dependent products; excludes general internal network use, which is recorded under Digital network.

This entry is specific to organisations in the use-of-sold-products chain — typically telecoms, internet service providers, or platform operators who need to report the network infrastructure emissions associated with customer data traffic under Scope 3 Category 11. It should not be used for an organisation's own internal network or website usage, which is an operational activity recorded under Digital network (typically Category 1). The fixed/mobile split matters because the two network types carry different energy profiles per GB delivered.

What activity data you need

Collect the most specific physical unit available. Unit definitions are in Appendix I — Description of Units.

• GB
• kWh

Which emission scope it falls under

Digital network operator activity data typically maps to Scope 3 Category 11 under the GHG Protocol. Confirm organisational boundary and ownership before reporting.

Sub-types available in the platform

All 2 sub-types available in the platform.

• Network operator: Data transfer: Network segment: Fixed
• Network operator: Data transfer: Network segment: Mobile

Common questions

We resell mobile data plans but don't own the network — do we still use this entry?

Yes, if you need to report Scope 3 Category 11 (use of sold products) for the data traffic your customers generate; request traffic and, where possible, network energy data from your underlying network provider rather than estimating independently.

How do we split traffic between fixed and mobile network segments?

Use your network management system's segment-level reporting if you operate the infrastructure; resellers should ask their wholesale provider for a fixed/mobile split, since the two segments are recorded as separate sub-types with different intensities.

Is this the right entry for our own corporate network usage?

No — internal or corporate network usage is an operational activity recorded under Digital network, not this entry, which is specifically for data traffic tied to sold products or services (Category 11).

Can we use kWh instead of GB if that's what our network reports?

Yes, kWh is an available unit here where your network operator or internal systems report energy consumption directly; use whichever unit matches your most reliable data source and stay consistent period to period.

Do we need to report this if we are a small reseller with no infrastructure?

You are still expected to estimate Category 11 network operator emissions where material to your value chain; request aggregate traffic or energy data from your network supplier rather than omitting the category.