Hello, I’m Paul Rhodes, an independent consultant at Evolved Network Solutions. I have over 30 years of global experience in the wireless industry, working with telecom giants Ericsson, Nokia, Samsung, CityFibre, and World Wide Technology. I am also a UKTIN Expert Working Group Member in Wireless Networking and a Special Interest Group (SIG) Champion at Cambridge Wireless.
I advise small, medium and large companies, helping clients understand the mobile sector and its adjacencies. For example, two years ago Intelsat asked me to explain in-flight coverage and I analysed whether it would be a worthwhile investment for the business. More recently IBM sought advice on how to market their Banking AI solutions to the Telecoms sector.
Companies are always looking for information to share with investors. They need reassurance – and profitability prospects, an indication of when the money might start rolling in. Sometimes these conversations are simple. Sometimes they are more difficult. The goal, however, is to reinforce the client’s strategy and provide new and interesting insights.
I studied telecoms at university and my specialism was mobile networks, back when very few people owned a mobile. People like to say that the industry is changing rapidly but I don’t think we have evolved enough. It’s been a 35-year journey for mobile infrastructure and the model needs changing. Fundamentally, as we go Beyond5G, we need a new architecture and new thinking.
What do you enjoy most about working in this space?
I enjoy trying to understand people’s problems and to fix things for them.
What’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve done in the name of work?
Around 10 years ago management decided they immediately needed to know the size of all lampposts worldwide… I set off with one of my colleagues from our office in Mumbai to help me measure a lamppost down the road with a tape measure.
What excites you most about working in telecoms?
Finding solutions and connecting people! Connectivity, otherwise known as the telecoms sector, harnesses many benefits and the Covid-19 pandemic highlighted this.
What would you like people to know about your work?
I try to be open not just in my day-to-day life but in architecture too. There can be a reluctance to move forward in business. People become complacent. But we need change – I’m all for it.
Why is a vibrant, flourishing telecoms ecosystem important for the UK?
An ecosystem is crucial. This is about communication and connectivity. Let's allow others to find the applications, and then we will develop new businesses. Telecoms will be great for UK Plc as long as we give people the tools to innovate and the breathing room to take risks and grow!
