Name: Future Telecoms Conference 2026
Start: 2026-02-10T00:00:00.000Z
End: 2026-02-10T00:00:00.000Z
Location: Central London

About this event

techUK’s Future Telecoms Conference marks the beginning of the next decade of investment and development in telecommunications. Taking place six months on from the publication of the UK’s Industrial Strategy Digital and Technologies Sector Plan, we’ll assess its progress and impact so far.

We are delighted to confirm that keynote speeches will be delivered by Baroness Lloyd, Minister for the Digital Economy at DSIT, and Natalie Black CBE, Group Director for Infrastructure and Connectivity at Ofcom.

UK telecommunications companies have also seen the release of the Infrastructure Strategy and the Proposed Statement of Strategic Priorities - all of which set out the vision, operational ambitions, and regulatory pathway to future-proof connectivity in the UK.

These documents acknowledge that telecoms is the backbone of the wider digital ecosystem and a cornerstone for productivity and economic growth. For that reason, they have earmarked over £370 million in investments for research and commercialisation of digital infrastructure across diverse use cases.

Telecoms is the foundation of AI, cybersecurity, and other critical technologies - and benefits itself from the advance in other areas for the delivery of faster, smarter connectivity. Therefore, the next phase is critical. Turning these strategies from vision into value means accelerating real-world adoption that drives productivity, economic growth, social benefit, innovation, talent development, and trust in technology.

Are we moving fast enough to match the scale of the opportunity? And how can government and industry work together to deliver a truly connected-by-design economy by 2030 - or sooner?

What you will get out of the event

Explore practical solutions to extend high-quality connectivity to every corner of the UK, addressing challenges such as planning constraints, cost-sharing models, and spectrum availability.
Understand how telecoms underpins essential industries - healthcare, transport, energy, and manufacturing - and how integrated connectivity can unlock efficiencies, resilience, and innovation across these domains.
Learn about new approaches to network deployment and service delivery, including public-private partnerships, shared infrastructure models, and leveraging emerging technologies like Open RAN and satellite for cost-effective scalability.

Who should attend

This event is designed for:

Technology leaders, CIOs, CTOs, and innovation teams
Policy professionals and public sector digital leaders
Founders, scale-ups, and ACT entrepreneurs
Investors and ecosystem builders
Data scientists, cyber resilience practitioners, and technical specialists
Regulators and governance professionals
Industry leaders across sectors exploring or scaling telecommunications

If you are involved in shaping, implementing, or accelerating connectivity strategies within your organisation or sector, this conference will provide the insights and connections to take the next step.

What to expect on the agenda

Join the UK’s leading telecoms companies, policymakers, and innovators for keynotes, expert panels, and practical discussions as we reflect on the last year of UK connectivity strategies and explore the next chapter for future-proof networks. What will it take to convert vision into value and ensure these strategies deliver real impact at pace?

You can expect:

Keynotes from leading UK tech and policy voices on framing connectivity as a national priority for growth and productivity.
Expert panels on critical topics including mission-critical communications, infrastructure delivery, spectrum strategy, and the role of ACTs in shaping a connected UK.
Deep dives into next-generation technologies such as satellite integration, Open RAN, and resilient network models to close the digital divide.
Networking with founders, investors, technologists, regulators, and policymakers to build partnerships to accelerate deployment and innovation.
Insight-rich discussions on the future of connectivity covering infrastructure, spectrum, resilience, security, and inclusion - plus what policy actions are needed now to lead globally by 2035.

Event details:

Timings: 09:00-17:00

Ticket prices:

techUK member ticket - free
Public sector - free
Non-member ticket - £170.00 + VAT

Please note: a refund will be given on cancellations received in writing 6 weeks prior to the event. Regrettably no refunds can be given after this date. Full terms and conditions can be viewed here.

Press and Media: If you are a member of the media and wish to attend please contact our press office: [email protected]

Agenda

Tuesday 10 February 2026

15:20–15:50
Coffee break
15:10–15:20
Presentation: JOINER and the future of connectivity
JOINER is an international scale open experimental platform for future networks research, development, and innovation, born out of the UK. We bring together the cutting-edge capabilities of 15+ world-leading universities and labs in one vibrant ecosystem, representing expertise from across the UK and beyond. We serve industry, academia, and government: supporting collaboration across start-ups, spin-outs, quangos, big corporations, and policymakers. Our platform provides the real-life conditions needed for world-leading research conducted at a scale far beyond what is possible in a single lab.
15:50–16:40
Fireside chat: Deployment in Action – local digital infrastructure
This session brings to life how local authorities are translating national ambitions into real-world delivery, highlighting both best practice and the day-to-day challenges of planning, permitting, and prioritisation. The conversation will show how strong local-central collaboration can accelerate deployment and improve outcomes for communities and businesses.
14:00–14:20
Keynote – Natalie Black CBE, Group Director Infrastructure & Connectivity, Ofcom
Natalie Black CBE, Group Director for Infrastructure and Connectivity at Ofcom, will outline how regulation can actively enable growth, resilience and investment in UK telecoms. She will address Ofcom’s approach to the growth duty and national security, priorities for next-generation connectivity, and the move towards more proactive, enabling regulation to ensure the UK remains a world-leading environment for telecoms investment and innovation.
09:00–10:00
Registration and Networking
10:00–10:15
Welcome and Introductory Remarks - Matt Evans, COO and Director of Markets, techUK
Opening the day will be techUK’s COO Matt Evans, outlining the UK’s connectivity ambitions and the central role the telecoms sector will play in enabling economic resilience, innovation and long-term competitiveness. Attendees will hear how 2026 marks a pivotal year for accelerating delivery and aligning policy, investment and industry action, and the role that techUK will be play in this.
15:50–16:40
Workshop (room 6): Sustainable research partnership models between industry and academia and the JOINER international-scale research platform
There is a real, concerted effort for the UK to take a leadership position on the global telecoms research stage. Large scale experimentation is sometimes dismissed as big dreams that never make it out of a laboratory. Within the JOINER ecosystem we’re turning this myth on its head. We’re bringing together academia and industry through a brand new offering. We call it experimentation-as-a-service. We invite industry partners to help us co-create its ultimate shape and join us on this purposeful journey.
16:40–16:45
Closing remarks – Matt Evans, COO and Director of Markets, techUK
16:45–17:00
Networking drinks
10:30–11:15
Headline Sponsor’s Panel: Evolving critical communications in the UK
This session explores the future of mission-critical connectivity, examining the requirements for secure and reliable communications, the role of 5G in delivering resilience across diverse use cases, and how robust networks can support the UK’s national security objectives.
What are the requirements for mission critical communications?
How can 5G broadband deliver resilient connectivity across use cases?
Can resilient communications deliver on the UK's national security goals?
This discussion will highlight how mission-critical networks are evolving to meet rising expectations for reliability, latency, and security across emergency services, transport, defence, and critical national infrastructure. Speakers will explore the technological, commercial, and regulatory factors shaping next-generation critical communications, and what the UK must do to remain globally competitive.
11:15–11:40
Coffee break
11:40–12:30
Panel [Infrastructure] – How well placed is the telecoms sector to drive the growth agenda?
This panel assesses the telecoms sector’s role as a true economic enabler, reviewing progress since the Infrastructure and Industrial Strategies were launched, and identifying the key opportunities and barriers that remain for accelerating delivery and impact.
It will consider whether the UK’s digital infrastructure programme is translating into on-the-ground economic benefits and where further alignment between government, regulators and industry is needed. Panellists will reflect on delivery progress, investment trends and how to overcome persistent barriers to faster deployment, innovation and capacity building across the UK.
12:30–12:50
Fireside chat: Advancing a network of networks
In this conversation, Dean Bubley from Disruptive Analytics will discuss with Prof. Harald Haas (University of Cambridge) about the role of academia for more resilient and enhanced connectivity technologies. The next decade of connectivity will be defined by the shift toward a genuine “network of networks,” where terrestrial, indoor, cloud‑driven, and space‑based systems work together—sometimes converging into seamless user experiences, other times diverging to meet highly specialized requirements. This fireside chat will explore what that actually looks like in practice, separating hype from reality across emerging innovations in the coming 5–10 years. We’ll examine where the most meaningful breakthroughs are likely to appear—whether in intelligent access networks, non‑terrestrial platforms, transport and core evolution, or new paradigms shaped by AI, automation, and sovereignty requirements. From speed and security to power efficiency and ubiquitous coverage, we’ll unpack the biggest opportunities and friction points facing global connectivity.
12:50–14:00
Lunch break
10:15–10:30
Keynote – Baroness Lloyd, Minister for Digital Economy, DSIT
We are delighted to be joined by Minister Lloyd as she delivers our keynote speech, setting the strategic vision for the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology over the coming year. Attendees will hear how the government will work with industry to unlock investment, accelerate deployment and ensure the UK’s digital infrastructure underpins economic growth, international competitiveness and national resilience.
14:20–15:10
Panel [ACT] - What could a future connected Britain look like in 2035?
This forward-looking session explores what a truly connected UK will look like by 2035—where resilience, security, and inclusion go beyond speed. We’ll examine how satellite and next-generation mobile (6G) can close the digital divide, the role of compute infrastructure as a national asset, and the policy actions needed today to ensure Britain leads in advanced communications technologies.
What does a truly connected Britain look like in 2035 — and how will connectivity go beyond speed to include resilience, security, and inclusion?
Where is the UK positioned both positively and negatively in around ACTs?
What policy actions should we take now to ensure Britain leads in connectivity by 2035?
Building on this vision, the session will consider how the UK can translate ambition into action, examining where the country currently leads, where strategic gaps remain and how emerging technologies can be scaled to deliver national benefit. Panellists will explore the practical policy, investment and innovation choices needed today to ensure that advanced communications technologies become a foundation for the UK’s economic competitiveness by 2035.