techUK’s Diversifying Telecoms Campaign Week: 22-26 March 2021
From 22 March, techUK is hosting a campaign week on Diversifying Telecoms, exploring themes and ideas on the future of telecoms in the UK, new network types, services and architectures, and the key security and resilience challenges in open and disaggregated networks. We will also examine the longer-term trends in communications infrastructure—from AI, virtualisation, programmability and open data—and the emerging tech that will create the networks of the future.
We are looking for techUK member companies to submit guest blogs for techUK’s Diversifying Telecoms campaign week, covering one of the themes below. Please do reach out directly to get involved!
Between 22-26 March 2021, techUK’s Communications Infrastructure and Services will be sharing the latest news, insight and opinion from the telecoms sector on what Diversifying Telecoms means for the UK.
Following interventions by government in the current supply chain for the UK’s mobile networks, including the 5G Supply Chain Diversification Strategy—led by the Telecoms Diversification Task Force—policy makers, industry and academia are exploring how best to develop the capability of the UK's vibrant and innovative telecoms sector, such as incentivising research and development in the sector, and accelerating the development of open and interoperable equipment which can be used by multiple vendors.
Themes
Our campaign week will explore these themes, and more. We will examine the potential of new network architectures, such as “breaking open” the RAN and virtualisation of different layers of the network. We will then consider the key security and resilience challenges in doing so, the role that standards and principles might play in this area, and how best to secure and maintain our nation’s critical communications networks. Wednesday’s theme will look at ways to stimulate demand for diversification through the rise of new enterprise networks, what vendor supply chains might look like with the rise of private cellular deployments, and the transformation of verticals (like utilities, manufacturing, healthcare). Towards the end of the week we will explore some of the emerging tech and innovation—both today and in the longer-term—that will impact our future telecoms networks, and the skills needed to deliver. Finally, on Friday we will seek to understand the UK’s domestic capability to deliver telecoms diversification and network evolution, as well as how to make the UK an attractive market for new and established international players.
Monday — The potential of open and disaggregated networks
Tuesday — Security and resilience considerations for future telecoms
Wednesday — Demand diversity: new enterprise networks
Thursday — Emerging tech, innovation and skills: what’s on the horizon?
Friday — How to deliver: developing domestic capability and attracting new vendors
If you are interested in taking part, please get in touch with Sophie James, the deadline for submissions is Wednesday 17 March 2021. All blogs must be submitted under our contributor guidelines found here. Keep up to date on Twitter @techUK and LinkedIn #DiversifyingTelecoms
Learn more
techUK's Communications Infrastructure Programme brings together government, the regulator, telecom companies and its stakeholders around four themes; shared infrastructure, security and resilience, unlicensed spectrum and our 5G ecosystem. We do so to lower the cost to the sector of deployment, ensure confidence in networks, spur innovation and unlock value for all parties in 5G. This is delivered through a mix of thought leadership, multilateral engagement and ecosystem building.
Sophie James is Head of Programme for Communications Infrastructure and Services at techUK, and oversees 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.
Mia joined techUK in September 2023 as the Programme Manager for telecoms and net zero.
Sitting across two teams, Mia works to ensure that policy and regulatory conditions promote investment and innovation in the telecoms sector. And, that policy enables technology and digital solutions to deliver net zero ambitions.
Prior to joining techUK, Mia worked as a Senior Policy Adviser at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) leading on manufacturing and industrial decarbonisation policy.
Mia holds an MSc in International Development from the University of Manchester and a BA(Hons) in Politics and International Relations from the University of Nottingham.
Outside of work, Mia enjoys travelling, running, and cooking.
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.
Matthew joined techUK in August 2023 as a Programme Assistant, supporting the Telecoms and Central Government markets, as well as the Digital Connectivity and Spectrum Policy Fora.
Before joining techUK, Matthew worked in marketing, data, and events across a number of sectors, including education and consumer goods. He studied German and Dutch at University College London and the Universiteit van Amsterdam.