Agenda
Welcome and Introductory Remarks - Matt Evans, COO and Director of Markets, techUK
Welcome and Introductory Remarks - Matt Evans, COO and Director of Markets, techUK
Keynote
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.Speakers
Matthew Evans
Keynote – Baroness Lloyd, Minister for Digital Economy, DSIT
Keynote – Baroness Lloyd, Minister for Digital Economy, DSIT
Keynote
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.Speakers
Baroness Lloyd of Effra CBE
Headline Sponsor’s Panel: Evolving critical communications in the UK
Headline Sponsor’s Panel: Evolving critical communications in the UK
Panel
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.
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What are the requirements for mission critical communications?
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How can 5G broadband deliver resilient connectivity across use cases?
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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.
Speakers
Cristina Data
Mr Tony Lavender
Panel [Infrastructure] – How well placed is the telecoms sector to drive the growth agenda?
Panel [Infrastructure] – How well placed is the telecoms sector to drive the growth agenda?
Panel
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.
Speakers
Matthew Howett
Lucie Smith
Shamil Jobanputra
Henry Parker
Fireside chat: Advancing a network of networks
Fireside chat: Advancing a network of networks
Panel
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.Speakers
Professor Harald Haas
Dean Bubley
Keynote – Natalie Black CBE, Group Director Infrastructure & Connectivity, Ofcom
Keynote – Natalie Black CBE, Group Director Infrastructure & Connectivity, Ofcom
Keynote
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.Speakers
Natalie Black CBE
Panel [ACT] - What could a future connected Britain look like in 2035?
Panel [ACT] - What could a future connected Britain look like in 2035?
Panel
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.
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What does a truly connected Britain look like in 2035 — and how will connectivity go beyond speed to include resilience, security, and inclusion?
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Where is the UK positioned both positively and negatively in around ACTs?
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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.
Speakers
Workshop (room 6): Sustainable research partnership models between industry and academia and the JOINER international-scale research platform
Fireside chat: Deployment in Action – local digital infrastructure
Fireside chat: Deployment in Action – local digital infrastructure
Panel
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.
Speakers
