Guest blog: Shaping the UK’s digital infrastructure of tomorrow
The UK Government recently highlighted Advanced Connectivity Technologies (ACT) as one of the UK’s frontier technologies with the greatest growth potential in the Digital and Technologies Sector Plan, underpinning the UK’s Industrial Strategy. I firmly believe these technologies are the backbone of the UK’s critical national infrastructure that support the way we live, work and play. Every day, individuals, businesses, and the wider society depend on the connectivity and transformative potential they offer through continuing innovation. In my role at Digital Catapult, I’m focused on advancing the UK development and use of data driven and open future networks, helping to shape the future of digital infrastructure in the UK.
As global competition in the digital domain accelerates, I believe the UK must prioritise its critical national infrastructure with the urgency it deserves. This is not limited to AI infrastructure; it requires careful consideration of the broader digital infrastructure the UK must have in place by 2035. Thus, ensuring the UK purposefully develops sovereign capabilities in specific areas to drive growth and investment, utilising our position as a leader in science and technology research.
By 2030, digitalisation enabled by AI could contribute £520 billion to the UK economy. Leveraging this in a safe and equitable way for economic growth will be possible only if we invest in the networks that power it. Advanced Connectivity Technologies are a key enabler of the industrial strategy, deep tech revolution, and the digital transformation of every major sector.
Have we yet realised the full potential of 5G?
At Digital Catapult, we began to build the case for 5G innovation back in 2014, helping to commercialise 5G as it emerged from university and industry labs into the real world. Despite clear progress made with some 5G use cases, there remain a number of barriers to 5G adoption. Some are related to the slow deployment of the 5G Standalone (5G SA), which delivers the enhancements necessary for vertical industry adoption that were core to the 5G promise. Additional challenges relate to concerns around return on investment, misunderstandings of what 5G and next 6G can do, security concerns and demonstrating the art of the possible that enhanced connectivity can bring to businesses. Our key focus remains to address these challenges by supporting technology adoption and innovation to deliver impact and growth on the economy.
Enabling innovation through supporting deep tech scaleups
Enabling scaleups to access future telecommunications infrastructure, such as 5G and 6G, for testing, experimentation and development before these technologies reach the market is also critical to fostering innovation and maintaining the UK’s leadership in advanced connectivity.
By giving companies access to real-world testbeds, businesses can rapidly prototype next generation applications using ultra-low latency, high bandwidth, and AI-driven networks. Digital Catapult supports this by building testbeds and helping SMEs explore new use cases, access technical expertise, and develop product roadmaps - ensuring UK networks evolve with emerging business needs.
For example, Digital Catapult’s Open Networks Innovation programme, SONIC Labs, delivered in partnership with Ofcom and funded by the UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), offers cutting-edge lab-to-field open networking infrastructure – accelerating the development and deployment of multi-vendor Open RAN and open networking systems through real-world interoperability testing and expert support. To date, Digital Catapult has worked with 26 participating companies from 11 countries worldwide to test 71 products in more than 50 end-to-end Open RAN deployable systems and is the only UK-based Open Testing and Integration Centre (OTIC) accredited by the O-RAN Alliance.
6G and beyond
The development and adoption of 6G faces several significant challenges in the UK and globally, ranging from technical hurdles to regulatory and economic barriers. One of the primary obstacles is the need for breakthrough advancements in areas such as AI-driven network management, sustainability, terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks, and quantum-secure communications, all of which require substantial R&D and innovation investment.
Defining what 6G will be, as the mobile technology to be deployed in 2030s and as part of the wider overall connectivity infrastructure in the UK, is pivotal for ensuring the UK has the right digital infrastructure to leverage the AI and quantum revolutions that will take place in the next decade. Our focus, as an integral part of the UK ecosystem, and working with our partners across academia, industry and organisations such as techUK, remains in both contributing to the setting of this overall vision and delivering it, alongside the wider UK ecosystem.
Digital Catapult is also actively supporting early-stage commercialisation of 6G networks research by working with University of Bristol and ten other leading universities and industrial partners to assist in proof-of-concept testing for next-generation networks through the REASON and JOINER projects. We consider JOINER and SONIC Labs, together with UKTL, as cornerstone experimentation and innovation national capabilities to deliver Advanced Connectivity Technologies. In addition, we’re participating in the European Commission-backed 6G project (6G LEADER) to bring together leading innovators from across Europe, fostering knowledge-sharing, cross-border collaboration, and the co-creation of next-generation solutions. Key focus areas include the convergence of AI and wireless communications and the development of sustainable network technologies that could support the decarbonisation of telecommunications and accelerate the real-world application of deep tech innovations.
Looking ahead
As we move towards an increasingly digital and interconnected future, the UK must take bold and coordinated steps to ensure its digital infrastructure is ready to meet the challenges and opportunities ahead. Advanced Connectivity Technologies are not just enablers, they are the critical foundations upon which future productivity, growth and prosperity will be built.
Through continued investment, collaboration across industry, academia and government, and support for deep tech scaleups, we can secure the UK’s leadership in this space and realise the full potential of advanced connectivity.
As a member of the techUK’s Communications, Infrastructure and Services Council (CISC), I am looking forward to working with the techUK team and the Council to ensure telecoms is recognised as a strategic pillar of economic growth and industrial innovation, and to contribute insight that helps shape a future where robust, open and intelligent networks power every sector of the UK economy.
Discover more about Digital Catapult’s work in telecoms here: https://www.digicatapult.org.uk/clients/telecoms/
Communications Infrastructure Programme activities
techUK brings together government, the regulator, telecom companies and stakeholders to help the UK maximise the benefits of adopting advanced communications services. We ensure our members have a clear understanding of market developments, customer requirements, and government priorities. Visit the programme page here.
Upcoming events
Latest news and insights
Learn more and get involved
Communications Infrastructure and Services updates
Sign-up to get the latest updates and opportunities from our Communications Infrastructure and Services programme.
Meet the team
Sophie Greaves
Associate Director, Digital Infrastructure, techUK
Sophie Greaves is Associate Director for Digital Infrastructure at techUK, overseeing the Communications Infrastructure and Services Programme at techUK, and the UK Spectrum Policy Forum.
Sophie was promoted to Head having been Programme Manager for Communications Infrastructure and Services, leading techUK's telecoms activities, engagement and policy development. Previously, Sophie was Programme Assistant across a variety of areas including the Broadband Stakeholder Group, Central Government, Financial Services and Communications Infrastructure programmes.
Prior to joining techUK, Sophie completed a masters in Film Studies at University College London; her dissertation examined US telecoms policy relating to net neutrality and content distribution.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- Phone:
- 020 7331 2038
- Twitter:
- @SJMJames1,@SJMJames1
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiegreaves/,https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiegreaves/
Read lessmore
Tales Gaspar
Programme Manager, UK SPF and Satellite, techUK
Tales has a background in law and economics, with previous experience in the regulation of new technologies and infrastructure.
In the UK and Europe, he offered consultancy on intellectual property rights of cellular and IoT technologies and on the regulatory procedures at the ITU as a Global Fellow at the European Space Policy Institute (ESPI).
Tales has an LL.M in Law and Business by the Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV) and an MSc in Regulation at the London School of Economics, with a specialization in Government and Law.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- Phone:
- +44 (0) 0207 331 2000
- Website:
- www.techUK.org
- LinkedIn:
- www.linkedin.com/in/talesngaspar
Read lessmore
Josh Turpin
Programme Manager, Telecoms and Net Zero, techUK
Josh joined techUK as a Programme Manager for Telecoms and Net Zero in August 2024.
In this role, working jointly across the techUK Telecoms and Climate Programmes, Josh is responsible for leading on telecoms infrastructure deployment and uptake and supporting innovation opportunities, as well as looking at how the tech sector can be further utilised in the UK’s decarbonisation efforts.
Prior to joining techUK, Josh’s background was in public affairs and communications, working for organisations across a diverse portfolio of sectors including defence, telecoms and infrastructure; aiding clients through stakeholder engagement, crisis communications, media outreach as well as secretariat duties.
Outside of work, Josh has a keen interest in music, painting and sailing.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- Phone:
- 020 7331 2038
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-turpin/
Read lessmore
Authors
Dritan Kaleshi
Director, Digital Catapult
