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A global surge in demand for AI computing capacity is placing unprecedented pressure on data centre supply chains and power infrastructure, according to Turner & Townsend’s latest Data Centre Construction Cost Index 2025-2026.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is inviting feedback from across the Advanced Connectivity Technology (ACT) ecosystem on proposals for the UK’s future ACT R&D Programme, which will focus on secure and resilient connectivity in addition to sustainable, energy-efficient networks.

Vodafone IoT announced a new partnership with Iridium Communications Inc., a leading provider of global voice, data, and PNT (positioning, navigatio

• The AI voice service sector is set for explosive growth
• Voice isn’t discussed much in telco circles any more, according to the Unthinkable analyst team
• But this is an area where digital service providers could develop AI-driven revenue streams, they suggest 

Digital Catapult has welcomed six international Open RAN (Radio Access Network) vendors to its advanced connectivity programme, driving the development, deployment and diversification of data-driven and open future networks in the UK.

• AI-powered receiver technology using machine learning can greatly enhance future 6G coverage, creating cost savings and accelerating time to market.
• The AI technology identifies and compensates for distortion in wireless signals, leading to substantial improvements in 6G uplink coverage.
• Nokia and Rohde & Schwarz will de

The Joint Open Infrastructure for Networks Research (JOINER), a UK-wide experimentation platform created to accelerate future communications and networks research, exploitation and adoption, has announced that its first international connection is live at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, opening up new potential for collaboration and innovation.

Virgin Media O2 has signed a deal with Starlink that will see it bring direct-to-cell services to the UK in the first half of next year.

Mobile network analytics firm Opensignal says network sharing between the newly merged operators has unlocked significant coverage improvements.

Kit vendors Ericsson and Nokia have teamed up with Berlin’s Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute (HHI) to work on video coding standardization in preparation for 6G.

Hello, I’m Bridgette Bigmore, and I am the CTO of the UK Telecoms Labs (UKTL). UKTL delivers security and research and testing to safeguard telecoms networks from cyber threats.

Vodafone and Zinkworks, an Irish tech company, are developing a generative AI driven platform to churn out radio access network (RAN) applications “within weeks, not months.”

A joint study by Oxford Saïd Business School, BIP UK, and Vantage Towers claims circular design in tower infrastructure could unlock up to €30 million in annual value and avoid 25,000 tonnes of CO₂.

Boldyn Networks and Apeiroon, described as a specialist in private 5G mobile network modules, are working on compact 5G solutions aimed at mission-critical sectors.

• The UK’s three MNOs spent a total of £39m in Ofcom’s mmWave spectrum auction
• VMO2 tested 5G SA on mmWave in September 2025, while Vodafone completed tests in 2024
• But the dearth of mmWave-capable devices in Europe is seen as a key bottleneck to service launches

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TalkTalk has put the wheels in motion to shed another 100 staff as part of its ongoing endeavour to turn its business around.

• BT researchers working with Ericsson propose a response to cyber threats that mimics biological immunity
• The AI-based offering could be deployed internally and offered as a service to enterprise customers
• The speed of response and remediation is critical as threats to telcos escalate

3GPP Release 20 is a pivotal milestone, consolidating 5G-Advanced while seeding 6G studies that will define the next decade of connectivity

UK incumbent BT said its mobile arm EE aims to cover 99% of the population with 5G standalone (SA) by 2030.

That's four years ahead of its rivals, according to Howard Watson, BT's chief security and networks officer, which makes for a fairly ambitious target given EE's 5G SA coverage only crossed the 50% threshold in late August.

Building Digital UK will be integrated into the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 1 November 2025.

CityFibre, the UK’s largest independent full fibre platform, announced its rate of customer connections is close to doubling quarter-on-quarter, with 108,000 customers connected in Q3 2025 (Q2 2025: 58,000), a new record for the company.

Hello, I’m Samuel Edeagu, a lecturer in communications and networks at the University of Suffolk. Previously, I worked for the UK civil service and for several global telecom companies. 

Connected Britain is the UK’s leading event for next-generation broadband and connectivity. On September 24th and 25th, the conference brought together over 8,000 leaders from across telecoms, government, enterprise, and technology to provide a unique platform for shaping the future of the UK’s digital infrastructure.

The UK government is handing out another few million pounds in hopes of striking semiconductor gold.

According to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), the UK's chip sector is set to grow by 75% between now and 2030.