The UK Telecoms Lab

Delivering world-class test and evaluation capabilities to strengthen mobile network resilience, support cyber skills development and drive innovation across the telecoms sector.

Image

The UK Telecoms Lab (UKTL) was born from a vision to shape a better-connected and more resilient future. As the UK’s national telecoms security facility, UKTL is recognised as a leading centre of excellence delivering world-class test and evaluation capabilities to safeguard the UK’s telecoms infrastructure. Operated by the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and funded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), the lab was opened in Solihull in 2023 to advance the UK’s 5G Diversification Strategy and support the government’s mission of making the UK a science and technology superpower by 2030. From nurturing diverse talent and deploying cyber skills to protecting the UK’s telecoms networks, UKTL is strengthening the security and resilience of the UK’s connectivity infrastructure.

UKTL offers a capability no other lab in the UK currently can. It provides a neutral space for vendors and operators to independently test equipment before deployment to market. Managing the UK’s state-of-the-art near representative carrier scale test network in the heart of the West Midlands, UKTL collaborates with industry, government and academia, to support the telecoms sector in its efforts to align with the world leading Telecoms Security Act and Code of Practice.

UKTL is committed to upskilling cybersecurity expertise and fostering an inclusive environment where everyone is valued. Closing the digital skills gap is essential to their mission, ensuring the UK is ready for the challenges faced by the telecoms sector. Complex global cyber security threats require a diverse workforce, and UKTL is providing advanced training and excellent continued development opportunities to support diversification across the UK’s cyber security community. With ambitious plans to grow their team of experts in Solihull, they are looking for specialists across a range of disciplines who can develop ground-breaking work and continue to evolve digital connectivity across the UK. Analyst, developer, research and engineer roles are required to aid the deployment of mobile technology and ensure full confidence in the UK’s networks.

UKTL will be opening a new Insights Centre in Solihull in 2025, which will offer an innovative space for showcasing emerging technologies to support new entry and key suppliers, and for hosting training sessions focused on telecoms security. It will also serve as a hub for developing opportunities for graduate, apprentice and intern programmes. In addition, the facility will provide a new venue in the West Midlands for local events, workshops and conferences, creating a dedicated place for industry, academia and government to meet and collaborate.

NPL is a National Laboratory and Public Sector Research Establishment with cross-sector collaborative R&D experience. With 125 years of history, including where Alan Turing worked on the ACE computer, UKTL joins other NPL-led programmes of national activity to bring measurement science expertise to sectors of national importance.