• Landmark agreement to accelerate adoption and innovation of network APIs includes a newly formed company that will drive new monetization opportunities for the industry.  

Today, some of the world’s largest telecom operators, including América Móvil, AT&T, Bharti Airtel, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Reliance Jio, Singtel, Telefonica, Telstra, T-Mobile, Verizon and Vodafone, together with Ericsson are announcing a new venture to combine and sell network Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) on a global scale to spur innovation in digital services.

In Pembroke College on the 12th of September, Cambridge Tech Week hosted a semiconductors deep dive. Here are some of our highlights from the event:

Reasons to be proud

Across the various sessions there was a sense of recognition and pride in the significant achievements and strengths the UK has in semiconductors. Peter Stephens, Director of Government Partnerships at ARM started the event by recognising the leadership the UK had demonstrated over the past 30 years, highlighting that through ARM’s chips, 99% of smartphones today bear Cambridge’s fingerprint.

• New private 5G networks to empower West Sussex growers, creating new digital skills and career pathways.  
• The project, Growing Sussex 5G Innovation Region, has won £3.8million funding from the Government’s Department of Science, Innovation and Technology to catalyse sustainable food production through cutting-edge 5G technology. 
• Project to establish a UK-wide model for 5G adoption in the agricultural sector, boosting productivity and sustainability. 

A series of new private 5G networks

Connected Britain took place at ExCeL London from the 11th to the 12th of September. The comprehensive two-day programme brought together 7,500 industry experts, innovators, and policymakers to shape the future of connectivity. With showcases from local authorities, cutting-edge exhibitors, and networking opportunities, the UK’s biggest digital economy event was a must-attend for those driving the nation’s digital transformation.

The first day consisted of an opening address and a range of panels, five of which have been summarised below. 

UKTIN is proud to be an editorial partner for a new programme from ITN Business which features organisations that are playing a part in the digital revolution and enabling connectivity, along with the people implementing this transformation.

The ARI-5G project core focus was on implementing, testing, and demonstrating an open standards-based RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC) platform and developing innovative applications for four crucial use cases.

5G MCN Growth Rate Stalled Out for the First Time, Declining 8 Percent in 2Q 2024

According to a recently published report from Dell’Oro Group, the trusted source for market information about the telecommunications, security, networks, and data center industries, the 2Q 2024 Mobile Core Network (MCN) market cratered 15 percent year-over-year (Y/Y), marking a historic low point in growth. The 5G MCN market growth stalled for the first time, declining 8 percent Y/Y in 2Q 2024.

FarrPoint, a leading connectivity consultancy, unveiled its new report on digital connectivity readiness across the G7. The report, "International Digital Connectivity Readiness Index", measures performance across both digital infrastructure — such as broadband, Gigabit, 4G, and 5G connectivity — and digital adoption, which includes metrics like digital skills, online security, access to public services, affordability, and innovation.

Building the foundations for telecoms supply chai diversification 

The SONIC Labs Annual Report 2023/24 highlights the significant progress made since the programme’s inception in October 2020. It demonstrates how SONIC Labs continues to provide value in enhancing capability for the UK and how it contributes to Digital Catapult’s mission in championing the development of data-enabled and open future networks.

Hello, I’m Gabriela Styf Sjoman, Managing Director of Research and Network Strategy at BT which is the UK’s leading fixed and mobile communications provider. Connectivity is integral to modern life and nothing in society works without it. It is constantly evolving and continues to provide more and more positive outcomes – for people, businesses and society. 

It is my job to decide how technologies should influence how we build and operate our networks to serve our mobile and fixed-line customers.