The invention relates to a network entity for controlling a respective operation mode of a plurality of physical base stations of a wireless communication network 100. The network entity comprises processing circuitry configured to: obtain a respective current data load of each of a plurality of physical base stations in an active operation mode; estimate a respective current data load of each of a plurality of virtual base stations based on the respective current data loads of the plurality of physical base stations; predict a respective data load of each of the plurality of virtual base stations; and adjust, based on the respective data loads of the plurality of virtual base stations, the operation mode of one or more of the plurality of physical base stations to the idle operation mode.