National

PXC to partner with fastest-growing alternative network in bid to become the UK’s go-to alt net aggregator.

The UKTIN Strategic Groups bring together academic and industry leaders and experts, governmental and regulatory specialists, and representative bodies to cohesively communicate the needs of the broader ecosystem and propose a shared public and private sector strategic vision for UK telecoms. 

• BT and Toshiba have already deployed a quantum-safe metro network in the London area
• Now they have teamed up with datacentre operator Equinix
• Its facilities in Canary Wharf, London, and Slough will be connected by data links protected using quantum key distribution

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

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.

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.

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.

FarrPoint, a leading connectivity consultancy, unveiled its new report on digital connectivity readiness across the G7.

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.

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.

• UK wireless tech company Filtronic is benefitting from its strategic partnership with Elon Musk’s SpaceX
• The British vendor has a five-year deal to supply amplifiers to SpaceX for its Starlink low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites
• SpaceX has already placed initial purchase orders for

Plum Consulting and i2 media research have been commissioned by DSIT (Department of Science, Innovation and Technology) to produce an analysis of the market for private telecoms networks in the UK. 

The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a €5 billion German measure to support European Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (‘ESMC') in the construction and operation of a microchip manufacturing plant in Dresden.

CityFibre has announced a long-term partnership with Sky to expand its network reach.

As a result, Sky’s Full Fibre Broadband is expected to launch on CityFibre’s network starting next year.

A series of Future Capability Papers, authored by the UKTIN Expert Working Groups have been published over recent months. Find out more here.

The Department of Science Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is conducting a survey of UK businesses. Help us understand how we can support innovation in businesses and shape future policies.

The Flex-5G project has successfully developed an Open RAN compliant 5G Standalone (5G SA) network. Leveraging a unique approach to Software-Defined Radio, Flex-5G’s network solution exhibits remarkable adaptability, dynamically responding to real-time variables such as traffic demands and spectrum availability.

• Research firm reports that fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) subs growth in UK is faster among altnets than major ISPs
• Altnets accounted for nearly 30% of retail UK FTTP connections at the end of Q2 2024; market leader BT had a 37% share
• Stinging rebuke for Virgin Media O2’s “premium pric

Hello, I’m Andrews King, the founder of Softonets, an end-to-end technology solutions provider. I am also a member of the UKTIN Core Networking Expert Working Group.

FRANC was the first intervention DSIT announced from the Open Networks Programme in 2021. A total of 14 projects were funded to support the goals of the Government’s 5G Supply Chain Diversification Strategy by helping to incentivise the industry to create new products and services to unlock the full potential of Open RAN. 

The UK’s telecoms market is thriving but understanding how the ecosystem is innovating can be difficult, especially considering the rapid advancements in academia.

Report highlights the alarming need for businesses to strengthen defenses as AI fuels cyber threats

FRANC was the first intervention DSIT announced from the Open Networks Programme in 2021. A total of 14 projects were funded to support the goals of the Government’s 5G Supply Chain Diversification Strategy by helping to incentivise the industry to create new products and services to unlock the full potential of Open RAN. 

EE has now deployed over 1,000 small cells across the UK, marking 400 new deployments over the last 12 months including its first 5G sites, recently installed in Croydon, London.