THE CONNECTED BRITAIN 2026
CONFERENCE AGENDA
All times are listed in BST
London, 9 - 10 September 2026
Schedule
Create your personal agenda –check the favourite icon
Chair's address
Keynote address: 'The Connection Project'
Keynote interview with VodafoneThree
Keynote interview with Cornerstone
Keynote interview with BT
Regulator's address
Keynote address from Nokia
Government address from Department for Work and Pensions
Networking break
Take a break to discuss the keynote sessions and network with your peers.
Ministerial Roundtable hosted by Department for Work & Pensions
The Ministerial Roundtable is an invite-only session. If you are interested to join, please email katherine.oakey@terrapinn.com and the DWP team will review your request.
AI Opportunity Clinic
In partnership with ImpactMatch, we are hosting a series of employability clinics in the People, Skills & Recruitment Zone. These are bookable appointments, offered on a first come, first served basis.
Bring your biggest AI opportunity, workflow challenge or adoption concern. In a focused 15-minute clinic, we’ll help you work out whether AI can genuinely help, where the likely blockers are, and what a sensible next step would look like.
Designed for leaders and teams exploring practical AI adoption, the session cuts through the hype and gives you a clear view of what is worth pursuing, what is not, and how to move forward without overcomplicating it.
Complete this form to request a slot with Luc:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdCCxM6si13RQiR7i53nWi31pl-hSlE88kElozzk55okBYBNQ/viewform?usp=header
Partnering to Build the Engineering Construction Workforce of the Future
In partnership with ImpactMatch, we are hosting a series of employability clinics in the People, Skills & Recruitment Zone. These are bookable appointments, offered on a first come, first served basis.
Visit the ECITB employability clinic to discuss the workforce challenges and opportunities facing the Engineering Construction Industry. Whether you're an employer, contractor, infrastructure owner, training provider, technology partner or stakeholder working across major projects, we would welcome the opportunity to explore how ECITB can support your skills, training and workforce development needs.
Learn more about the programmes and initiatives we're delivering to address critical skills shortages, attract new talent into the sector, and develop the future workforce. We are also keen to connect with organisations interested in collaborating on innovative projects, co-investment opportunities and funding partnerships that can help scale solutions and create lasting impact across the engineering sector.
Come and talk to us about:
- Skills and workforce development challenges
- Funding and partnership opportunities
- Talent attraction and future workforce initiatives
- Industry-led training and skills solutions
- Collaborative projects and innovation
- Social value and workforce inclusion programmes
Here is the link to book: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdcK6GaFz6YR0REsCONw6xR_JjYpsi7nf248XvFGyUGrT0BPQ/viewform?usp=header
StartingPoint Clinic: Better applicants start with better insight
In partnership with ImpactMatch, we are hosting a series of employability clinics in the People, Skills & Recruitment Zone. These are 20-minute bookable appointments, offered on a first come, first served basis.
StartingPoint gives you a deeper understanding of future employees, their skills, personality, potential and what motivates them to succeed.
Join a 20-minute demo to see how Startingpoint helps employers look beyond qualifications and uncover the full potential of candidates. The platform showcases personal drivers, disciplines, and values - giving hiring managers evidence-based insights into motivation, ethics, and culture-add. Discover how to attract, assess, and describe people in a way that brings out their rounded strengths and creates real hiring impact.
The Disability Confidence Clinic
In partnership with ImpactMatch, we are hosting a series of employability clinics in the People, Skills & Recruitment Zone. These are bookable appointments, offered on a first come, first served basis.
How disability confident is your organisation, really? Cressida Stephenson, Founder and CEO of EdenChase Associates and creator of the Disability Confidence Diagnostic™, is running ten-minute clinics across both days. Answer six questions about your hiring, assessment and adjustments practice and leave with a Red, Amber or Green rating for your organisation, plus a straight conversation about what it means for Disability Confident verification, the disability pay gap reporting duty confirmed for employers with 250 or more staff, and the disabled and neurodivergent talent your process is currently losing. Drop in, or book a slot. Honest answers only.
Introduction to the Zone
An introduction to the People, Skills & Recruitment Zone from ImpactMatch's CEO, Leigh Smyth. Leigh will be joined on stage by Tom Kegode from Sparkshift who will act as compere for the stage across the two days.
The People, Skills & Recruitment Zone programme has been curated in partnership with ImpactMatch.
Policy and regulatory considerations for the UK’s mobile market
- Exploring the key findings from the Mobile Markets Review
- What policy and regulatory frameworks are needed to promote infrastructure investment and maintain a healthy and competitive market?
The next gigabit upgrade: Commercialising XGS-PON and planning for next-gen
- What are the clear business drivers (e.g., enterprise services, 5G backhaul) justifying the investment leap to next-gen PON?
- How can ISPsleveragemulti-gigabit speeds to create premium service tiers and increase revenue?
- How can operators manage the operational complexity of co-existing fibre technologies while planning the transition to50G and beyond?
The AI-driven city: Optimising urban services with data and connectivity
- How are authorities moving beyond isolated pilots to create region-wide AI frameworks?
- What are the best strategies for overcoming data-sharing hurdles across fragmented local authorities and departments?
- How do we extract tangible ROI from AI for residents and the economy?
Modernising the grid: The digital utility roadmap
- How is better connectivity and real-time data integration transforming the management of utility assets and improving customer experience?
- With EV chargers and data centres now legally classed as "critical infrastructure," how do we protect our utility networks from digital threats?
- How are AI and IoT optimising grid efficiency and supporting long-term sustainability goals?
- What commercial and technical frameworks are required to build scalable networks capable of supporting connected devices and assets?
Data centres demystified: Colocation, hyperscale and edge data centres
- What are the defining characteristics of these three data centre models and how do operational priorities differ?
- What are the benefits and limitations of each model, and what advantage does each model bring in scale, latency and cost?
- How are AI workloads changing space, power and cooling considerations?
- Which technologies and operational approaches will shape the next generation of data centres?
Guardrails for growth: Navigating the rapid expansion of AI
- How can UK policy frameworks keep pace with the rapid development of AI? What are the risks of a regulatory gap?
- What impact is the AI Act 2026 already having or could potentially have? How are organisations adapting to meet new standards and reporting requirements?
- What is the long-term impact of AI on society? How do we address emerging concerns surrounding AI and ensure that it has a positive socioeconomic effect?
Connected authorities: Did we deliver the digital dream and who benefits today?
- After a series of investment and funding models, how far have we really come on connectivity for residents and businesses?
- Have people been given genuine choice, opportunity and improved services – or just infrastructure?
- Where has delivery fallen short and why?
- What does success actually look like from a local authority perspective now?
Digital inclusion: The big picture
- How is the ongoing cost-of-living crisis changing the way we define "digital poverty" in 2026?
- What more can the government and ISPs do to ensure that low-cost social tariffs and free devices reach the people who need them most?
- Beyond just being "fair," what is the actual economic cost to the UK of leaving millions of people offline and out of the digital economy?
Powering Britain: The importance of data centres for national economic growth
- How do data centres contribute to national and regional development?
- What benefits are we seeing to the UK economy?
- How does the rise of data centres affect local employment and support with area innovation, and which sectors are seeing the most benefit?
- How can regions ensure infrastructure, workforce and energy supply are ready to support future growth?
Why Empathy is the High-Performance Engine of 2030
By 2030, technology will handle the "what" and "how" of most tasks. The leader’s role shifts entirely to the "why" and the "who." Dr. Kamel Hothi argues that human-centred leadership isn't a "nice-to-have" - it is the only way to retain talent and maintain psychological safety in a volatile world.
Keeping hiring human when everyone is using AI
AI is reshaping both sides of the hiring process. Organisations are using chatbots to conduct thousands of natural language conversations with candidates, while candidates are using AI to refine applications, prepare for interviews and, in some cases, attend them.
This session explores how to build hiring strategies that keep humans at the centre and deliver the right match between organisations and candidates. Through real-world examples, we'll examine where technology adds value and where the uniquely human remains irreplaceable.
The People, Skills & Recruitment Zone programme has been curated in partnership with ImpactMatch.
AI in Recruitment: Tools, Trends and Best Practice
Proving the Long Game: A story of Innovation, Growth and Evolution through Partnership
What happens when a technology partnership is built not around a single deployment, but around a shared ambition to keep evolving?
In a supplier-customer story thatwill resonate with many,CityFibre and Calix reflect on a decade of working together– sharinghow aligned ambition, open challenge,honest conversationsand continuous innovation have helped both businesses evolve, stay ahead of changing market needs and create greater opportunity for the ISPs and customers they serve.
How to accelerate value in a consolidating fibre market
Emerging Smart Technologies
The Future of Critical Infrastructure Access: Eliminating Batteries, Reducing OPEX
Critical infrastructure operators are looking to cut costs, improve security, and reduce maintenance. Discover how battery-free digital access is helping utilities and telecoms reduce OPEX while securing assets at scale.
Engineering the Fibre Infrastructure Behind Hyperscale Data Centres
AI in Telecoms
Putting policy into practice: how front-footed Local Authorities can lead on national digital infrastructure
Full Fibre Wacky Races 7 – A marriage made in heaven?
Will the CMA give the thumbs up to the nexfibre acquisition of Netomnia/BRSK/YouFibre? Is the big Alt-Net consolidation now fully underway? Will the precarious finances of some Alt-Nets start to stabilise, or become even more precarious? Where will the free market land between Openreach and the Alt-Nets? Where are the biggest opportunities and threats for industry players, and what’s Zen’s strategy to make the most of this period of change?
I’ll address these questions and more, based on narrative and opinion from industry CEOs and my own experience. Previous episodes of Full Fibre Wacky Races are on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@RTZen
State of the Industry: CXO Keynote Addresses & Interviews
- 12.10 Ben Case, Managing Director for Connectivity, Sky
- 12.20 Daren Baythorpe, CEO ITS
- 12.30 Simon Holden, Chief Executive Officer, CityFibre
- 12.40 Rajiv Datta, Chief Executive Officer, nexfibre
- 12.50 Katie Milligan, CEO, Openreach
Unlocking Career Change: Identifying and Applying Transferable Skills
CXO keynote panel
- With consolidation picking up pace, how will further M&A activity happen?
- What are the regulatory considerations now following the publication of TAR earlier this year?
- Commercial models and strategy
- Defining the metrics of success: What are CxOs and investors looking at?
- What will the UK’s fixed market look like by the end of the decade?
Building a Strong Start: CV & Application Skills for Early Careers
Beyond the Build: Winning Customer Loyalty in the Age of Fibre and TV
Beyond Dashboards: How Operators are weaving AI into the Fabric of Fiber Operation
The Right Broadband Technology for the Right Location
Operator Perspectives on Delivering Gigabit Britain
Your fibre is great. But how great is your Wi-Fi?
The very last yard (Wi-Fi!) can make or break the subscriber experience. Join us for a live walkthrough on how ISPs can streamline Wi-Fi design, diagnose in-field issues faster, and directly reduce churn.
The Great American Broadband Shakeout
America’s broadband market is being reshaped by private equity, a wave of mergers and acquisitions, aggressive expansion by the Tier 1 operators and billions in BEAD funding. Chad Johnston and Bob Knight offer a candid view from across the pond on where the US market is heading, who’s winning and where the opportunities lie for European companies looking to make their mark in America.
Connected Norfolk: What Worked, What Didn't, and What Comes Next
The Human Side of Connectivity: Beyond the Cables
From Project Stratum to Gigabit: The Blueprint for Delivering Rural Connectivity in Northern Ireland and Cumbria
Interview Success for Early Careers: Building Confidence & Impact
“You Need Experience to Get Experience”: What Young People Taught Us About Recruitment
Young people repeatedly ask us the same question:how do I get experience when I need experience to get work experience?
We Job Box has explored that question through research, a proof of concept with 500 young people across five sectors and 40 employers, and government-funded pilots in Birmingham, Bristol and London that created 12,500 hours of work experience.
In this session, Lalita Taylor will share what young people and employers have taught us about experience, skills and social capital, and how those insights are now shaping We Job Box’s AI-enabled skills-matching platform, designed to create more meaningful connections between talent and opportunity.
When Failure Is No Longer an Option: The New Imperative for Fibre Infrastructure Quality
As FTTH deployment across EMEA matures, the industry's focus is shifting from coverage and speed to reliability and resilience. While residential access networks could once tolerate occasional failures, today's fibre infrastructure underpins critical services, from data centre interconnects and financial transactions to government platforms, public safety systems, and emerging 5G applications.
As networks become the foundation for always-on, latency-sensitive services, even seemingly minor infrastructure defects can have far-reaching consequences. A leaking closure, degraded terminal, or faulty connector can impact thousands of users and critical operations.
Drawing on 17 years of FTTH network design experience and CommScope's expertise in data centre connectivity, this presentation explores why infrastructure quality has become a strategic requirement rather than a deployment consideration. Attendees will gain insights into the evolving reliability demands of modern networks and the design, installation, and maintenance practices required to support the next generation of critical digital services.
The neutral host ecosystem: Unlocking investment and coverage across the UK
- How can the neutral host model be most effectively used to bridge connectivity gaps across cities, transport corridors, and rural environments?
- What regulatory changes are needed to accelerate neutral host rollout and attract infrastructure investment?
- How must the long-term contracts and financial incentives between MNOs and neutral hosts be structured to ensure commitment and a sustainable wholesale partnership?
- How can councils proactively manage street assets and planning to accelerate neutral host deployment?
Data-driven planning and mobility
- How can digital twins transform travel networks, urban mobility, and long-term town planning?
- From autonomous pods to smart signals, what are the critical connectivity requirements for weaving next-generation mobility into our existing urban transport systems?
- How can councils and private mobility providers establish shared data standards to anticipate travel demand, reduce congestion, and design more efficient transport corridors?
Water works: Digitising the UK's water infrastructure
- How are water companies modernising legacy telemetry and remote monitoring sites to support 24/7 asset monitoring?
- What role can technologies such as AI and IoT play in enabling a more proactive approach to infrastructure maintenance?
- What are the socioeconomic and environmental benefits of smart meters for consumers and water companies alike?
Interconnected Britain: Fibre, networks and the new telco – data centre alliance
- How can telcos and data centre operators collaborate to unlock mutual commercial value and which partnerships are proving most effective for capacity sharing and monetisation?
- How can industry and policy better support integrated infrastructure planning?
- What commercial and technical challenges arise from cloud, edge and operator convergence?
- Where does the alliance work and where does it currently break down? How can we achieve alignment?
Meet the judges
Meet the judges for the illustrious startup pitching competition.
The winner will be crowned Startup of the Year at the Connected Britain Awards during the networking drinks.
AI trailblazers: Practical applications of AI for local authorities
A series of 10 minute case study presenations on practical applications of AI for Local Authorities.
Universal Design: Accessibility and inclusion in a technological world
- How can the companies ensure accessible design in both digital services and customer support?
- How is high-speed connectivity powering the next generation of assistive tech to support independent living?
- What are the most effective strategies for recruiting and retaining neurodiverse and disabled talent within the tech workforce?
Connected Scotland: Policy, geography, and future delivery models
- What are the unique challenges and opportunities for deploying across Scotland's remote, rural, and island communities?
- How can public policy and public-private collaboration best support commercial altnet rollout alongside government intervention?
- How is expanding digital infrastructure across Scotland driving tech sector growth, inward investment, and regional economic resilience?
Collaborating with the DWP to build the connectivity workforce
Panel discussion hosted by the Department for Work & Pensions.
Roundtable: Building Trusted Infrastructure - What EV charging can learn from telco
As EV charging networks scale across the UK, operators are beginning to face many of the same challenges the telco industry has already spent decades solving: uptime, resilience, interoperability, customer trust and distributed infrastructure management.
This roundtable brings together telecoms and EV charging infrastructure leaders to explore where the industries overlap, what lessons can be applied, and whether the future lies in closer collaboration between connectivity and energy ecosystems.
Discussion points:
- What do telco and EV charging networks have in common?
- What has telco already learned?
- Where is EV charging infrastructure today?
- What can EV charging learn from telco?
- Is there an emerging ecosystem (converging of telco, energy and mobility sectors into a shared infrastructure ecosystem)?
Bridging the divide: A national strategy for rural connectivity
- What should the balance be between government-led funding and private sector investment to reach the UK’s hardest to reach properties and communities?
- What are the commercial and operational barriers to rural deployment? How does policy need to shift to incentivise long-term sustainability of rural infrastructure projects?
- What technologies can be leveraged to deliver ubiquitous rural coverage, e.g. satellite, fixed wireless, fibre?
Connected Britain Startup pitch 1 - VIZGARD
See VIZGARD pitch for the Startup of the Year Award 2026!
Connected Britain Startup pitch 2 - XMP
See XMP pitch for the Startup of the Year Award 2026!
From pilots to systems: how cities use systems approaches to scale digital inclusion and device reuse
Long Haul Infrastructure and the Race for Fibre Capacity
The impact of emerging cable technologies on UG infrastructure and considerations for legacy & new build networks to optimise efficiencies in design, build and delivery. When your most expensive assets are underground, it pays to ‘measure twice, cut once’.
Closing the Enterprise AI Gap: Building the Agentic Telco
How operators turn AI investment into governed, real-world outcomes, faster
Telecom operators are pouring investment into AI, but turning it into deployed outcomes is where most stall. This session explores how an open, agentic systems platform brings operators the governance, speed and control they need to modernise legacy systems, launch services faster, and turn AI investment into proven results.
“Are data centres a benefit or a burden”? Community impact vs. National demand
- What are the positive and negative effects of data centres on local communities?
- Are data centres enriching local communities or they primarily serving national and corporate interests?
- Are operators doing enough to engage local communities or are they ticking boxes to meet regulatory requirements?
- Where do the genuine concerns come from and how can they be mitigated?
- Are sustainability measures enough to change public perception?
- How do we educate and respond to general concerns?
Connected Britain Startup pitch 3 - Pwn&Patch
See Pwn&Patch ptich for the Startup of the Year Award 2026!
The Path to Cashflow Positive
Digital inclusion and social value commitments in detail: exploring mechanisms for business and industry to deliver change
Connected Britain Startup pitch 4 - HomeNetworkIQ
See HomeNetworkIQ pitch for the Startup of the Year Award 2026!
Connected Britain Startup pitch 5 - Zim Connection
See Zim Connection pitch for the Startup of the Year Award 2026!
Investing in the architects of 2030
Puja Patel explores how institutional partnerships are the key to solving the skills gap. By focusing on universities and strategic leadership programmes, she is helping to build a resilient workforce that is diverse, digitally savvy, and ready for high-impact roles.
The People, Skills & Recruitment Zone programme has been curated in partnership with ImpactMatch.
Presentation from eero, an Amazon company
Presented by a senior speaker from eero.
Repair and Maintenance: Sustaining FTTH Access Networks for the future
Operating UK Connectivity with Flow Intelligence
Traditional asset-centric systems manage network components, but they cannot fully explain how connectivity services are delivered, impacted, or optimized across increasingly complex telecom networks. As UK operators accelerate fibre deployment, reduce operational costs, and improve customer experience, understanding assets alone is no longer sufficient.This session explores how Flow Intelligence combines assets, topology, connectivity, and service relationships into a single operational model, enabling faster fault resolution, proactive impact analysis, and more efficient network operations. We will demonstrate why a flow-centric digital twin is becoming essential for operators seeking to achieve their connectivity, growth, and service-quality objectives.Key message: You don't operate a telecom network by managing assets. You operate it by understanding the flows running through them.
Channel Britain: Evolving commercial strategy to meet enterprise requirements
- How are channel companies adapting their business models and commercial strategy in response to become holistic technology partners?
- With security and managed services becoming core requirements for enterprises, what commercial approaches are proving most effective for integrating these products into the mix?
- How can channel organisations evolve their recruitment and upskilling strategies to ensure teams can deliver key services?
Norfolk’s Digital Inclusion Journey: Connecting People, Breaking Barriers, Tackling Social Isolation
Presentation from Teleste
Presented by a senior speaker from Teleste.
No one left behind - the Liverpool City Region digital inclusion model
Case study presentation from Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.
Connected Britain Startup pitch 6 - Infrawatch
See Infrawatch pitch for the Startup of the Year Award 2026!
10 million futures: Fair chance hiring at scale
Social mobility isn’t just about where you start; it’s about where you can go after a mistake. This panel explores how business leaders can move past "the box" on application forms to tap into a highly motivated, loyal, and overlooked talent pool: those with a criminal record.
The People, Skills & Recruitment Zone programme has been curated in partnership with ImpactMatch.
Shaping the future of fibre: Regulation, policy and outlook
- Reflecting on the publication of the Telecoms Access Review (TAR) and its implementation so far
- How should future policy adapt to ensure a sustainable, competitive landscape?
- Exploring the impact of consolidation from a regulatory and policy perspective
The unbreakable network: Ensuring resilience against climate, cyber, and power threats
- How can network infrastructure be hardened against extreme weather, climate change, and physical vandalism?
- How is AI enabling the shift to proactive, autonomous cyber defence to secure critical networks and neutralise threats in real-time?
- What is the coordinated strategy for securing the network's energy supply using resilient backup power and smart grid integration?
5G and private networks: The industrial connectivity revolution
- What are the high-value use cases which are delivering the significant margin expansion and sustainable commercial value?
- What are the engineering challenges of integrating legacy operational technology with modern 5G?
- How are enterprises ensuring network reliability?
- How do enterprises solve the remaining hurdles to succeed as fully connected entities, e.g. device ecosystems and spectrum management?
Planning reform and policy readiness: Is the UK fit for the AI data centre boom?
- Do current planning processes support the growth of data centres? If not, what changes need to take place?
- How does access to power and grid capacity effect new developments?
- How have recent policy changes and CNI classification altered the planning process for data centres?
- How can government ambition better support local planning?
AI and beyond: Building a strategy to deliver market-leading CX
- Is AI set to be as revolutionary as promised?
- How are CX leaders leveraging AI to empower their teams and drive positive, human-centric change?
- How are organisations leveraging unified data to create seamless and proactive customer journeys?
- How is agentic AI turning legacy data into real-time, personalised customer outcomes?
Devolution, reform and digital readiness: Is connectivity keeping pace with change?
- Where does digital infrastructure sit in today’s devolution and local government agenda?
- How prepared are local authorities to treat connectivity as a foundational enabler of growth and public service reform?
- What needs to change for digital to be embedded alongside transport, housing and planning?
- What lessons can be shared?
Closing the MDU gap: Regulation, wayleaves, and competition
- Are the latest TILPA and PSTIA regulations successfully streamlining wayleave negotiations for residential and commercial blocks?
- What is the commercial viability of the MDU market while managing the risk of overbuild?
- How to work with property owners to proactively champion open-access fibre and greater tenant choice?
- How do we best upgrade legacy systems and reduce operational costs?
Change the system, not the person: using behavioural systems mapping to tackle digital exclusion
- How can local authorities adopt new models of system-level thinking to move past traditional boundaries and address the root causes of digital exclusion?
- What did 5 UK councils discover about the drivers of exclusion by applying behavioural systems mapping and citizen-centred co-design workshops via the UK Government's Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund?
- Which new approaches and practical frameworks can public sector leaders adopt right now, based on the real-world examples and newly published guidance from the consortium?
The ethics of acceleration: Balancing rapid tech innovation with human-centric values
As technology outpaces traditional skill-building, how do we ensure no one is left behind? This session examines the ethical guardrails needed to manage the "people" side of digital transformation from algorithmic bias in banking to inclusive design in government services.
The People, Skills & Recruitment Zone programme has been curated in partnership with ImpactMatch.
Powering the UK’s EV charging infrastructure
- How can the energy and telecoms sectors collaborate to overcome power constraints and ensure the scalability of the UK's charging network to meet demand?
- What is the evolving role of local authorities in co-ordinating the rollout of charging infrastructure?
- What commercial models are proving most effective in delivering a sustainable ROI for both the public sector and private network operators?
- Future-proofing EV infrastructure: What technologies should we be considering to meet future demand?
Fireside chat: AbilityNet & EdenChase Associates
The People, Skills & Recruitment Zone programme has been curated in partnership with ImpactMatch.
Seeing What Others Miss: How AI Is Transforming Field Force Operations
Empowering people: Building the workforce to enable the UK’s data centre economy
- What critical skills are needed to enable the UK’s data centre growth ambitions and where are the biggest gaps?
- How do we better collaborate with schools and universities to ensure a surplus of future talent?
- Are current training and upskilling programmes fit for a sector being constantly reshaped by AI?
- How do we help ensure the future workforce feel empowered and motivated?
- Is the industry doing enough to attract new and under-represented talent, including women?
Vyntelligence hosted panel
Accelerating Small Cell Growth Through Local Action
Places that click
- What does it take to support place-based digital inclusion?
- What needs to change for local systems to ensure everyone has the chance to be included?
- What does ‘good’ investment and resourcing actually look like?
Consolidation, M&A and competition: The changing investment landscape
- What does the current wave of market consolidation mean for the future of the UK’s altnet ecosystem? And what is the impact on consumers?
- How can we ensure that consolidation leads to a sustainable and competitive market?
- How are investor’s perspectives on the market shifting?
- Funding models and investors for the next wave of digital infrastructure investment: Where are investors looking next, e.g. data centres?
Open RAN and cloudification: Moving from trials to mass deployment in the UK
- What are the primary operational challenges in scaling disaggregated RAN and cloud-native network functions across legacy brownfield estates?
- Is Open RAN successfully delivering a more diverse vendor ecosystem, or are the "Big Three" simply absorbing open standards into their own stacks?
- What is the realistic timeline for UK MNOs to meet government targets for open network traffic?
Rural economies: Connectivity as a driver for growth
- What collaborative models between ISPs and rural industries, such as tourism and agriculture, are most effectively stimulating regional investment?
- How is precision farming and IoT transforming the rural economy?
- How to address the specific power and backhaul challenges of deploying smart solutions in remote areas?
Scaling connectivity to improve the UK’s road networks
- What role can enhanced communication infrastructure play in accelerating the rollout of technologies that will aid in meeting national targets around road safety and traffic flow?
- What commercial and partnership frameworks would incentivise private investment in roadside digital infrastructure and ensure consistent national coverage?
- How can the public and private sector improve data interoperability to create a “Single View of the Network” and improve transport operations?
Protecting Britain’s new critical national infrastructure: Security, sovereignty & resilience
- How are operators balancing physical security, cyber-attacks and the rising threats linked to AI workloads?
- What does data sovereignty mean in practice?
- How do we improve resilience?
- Who ultimately carries responsibility – operators, government or customers?
Scaling industrial AI across the UK economy
- How are UK industries leveraging AI to enable new applications and enhance data-driven decision making?
- What new revenue opportunities are being unlocked by AI?
- How do we embed ethics and transparency into scaling AI on a national scale?
Place leadership in a digital Britain: Are local authorities ready for what’s next?
- What does strong place leadership look like in a digitally enabled future?
- How can authorities better align with local objectives and national goals?
- What skills, governance and cultural shifts are still required within councils?
- What should local government be focusing on next to deliver long term impact for communities?
Connecting social housing: Solving digital exclusion and operational barriers
- How does better connectivity improve tenant wellbeing, from online services and telecare devices to monitoring for damp and mould?
- How can ISPs partner with housing associations to bundle low-cost connectivity with rent to eliminate exclusion?
- What are the most cost-effective ways to upgrade legacy buildings and install fibre without causing major disruption to tenants?
Greater Manchester and the North-West: A blueprint for digital partnership
- How has the "Doing Digital Together" strategy enabled public-private partnerships to scale Greater Manchester into the UK’s leading AI and fintech hub?
- How is gigabit connectivity being used to transform post-industrial towns across the North West into destinations for high-growth digital businesses?
- What can the evolution of MediaCityUK and the new "Cyber Corridor" teach us about building secure and scalable digital ecosystems?
Networking drinks
Close of conference & drinks reception begins
Connected Britain Awards
Celebrate with the top performers across the industry
Create your personal agenda –check the favourite icon
Redefining digital participation through a system based approach
UK 2030: AI, innovation and productivity
- What are the real-world use cases where automation and intelligence are driving tangible efficiency gains for UK businesses and public services?
- How do we bridge the yield gap to convert frontier AI into measurable growth for UK businesses?
- How do we prepare the workforce to use these tools safely, and build the public trust needed to make AI-driven growth inclusive?
AI in Recruitment: Tools, Trends and Best Practice
CXO Interview: G.Network
CXO interview: Hyperoptic
Networking break
Take a break to discuss the keynote sessions and network with your peers.
Unlocking Career Change: Identifying and Applying Transferable Skills
Introduction to the Zone
A brief introduction to the stage from Tom Kegode from Sparkshift.
The People, Skills & Recruitment Zone programme has been curated in partnership with ImpactMatch.
AI Opportunity Clinic
In partnership with ImpactMatch, we are hosting a series of employability clinics in the People, Skills & Recruitment Zone. These are bookable appointments, offered on a first come, first served basis.
Bring your biggest AI opportunity, workflow challenge or adoption concern. In a focused 15-minute clinic, we’ll help you work out whether AI can genuinely help, where the likely blockers are, and what a sensible next step would look like.
Designed for leaders and teams exploring practical AI adoption, the session cuts through the hype and gives you a clear view of what is worth pursuing, what is not, and how to move forward without overcomplicating it.
Complete this form to request a slot with Luc:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdCCxM6si13RQiR7i53nWi31pl-hSlE88kElozzk55okBYBNQ/viewform?usp=header
Partnering to Build the Engineering Construction Workforce of the Future
In partnership with ImpactMatch, we are hosting a series of employability clinics in the People, Skills & Recruitment Zone. These are bookable appointments, offered on a first come, first served basis.
Visit the ECITB employability clinic to discuss the workforce challenges and opportunities facing the Engineering Construction Industry. Whether you're an employer, contractor, infrastructure owner, training provider, technology partner or stakeholder working across major projects, we would welcome the opportunity to explore how ECITB can support your skills, training and workforce development needs.
Learn more about the programmes and initiatives we're delivering to address critical skills shortages, attract new talent into the sector, and develop the future workforce. We are also keen to connect with organisations interested in collaborating on innovative projects, co-investment opportunities and funding partnerships that can help scale solutions and create lasting impact across the engineering sector.
Come and talk to us about:
- Skills and workforce development challenges
- Funding and partnership opportunities
- Talent attraction and future workforce initiatives
- Industry-led training and skills solutions
- Collaborative projects and innovation
- Social value and workforce inclusion programmes
Here is the link to book: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdcK6GaFz6YR0REsCONw6xR_JjYpsi7nf248XvFGyUGrT0BPQ/viewform?usp=header
StartingPoint Clinic: Better applicants start with better insight
In partnership with ImpactMatch, we are hosting a series of employability clinics in the People, Skills & Recruitment Zone. These are 20-minute bookable appointments, offered on a first come, first served basis.
StartingPoint gives you a deeper understanding of future employees, their skills, personality, potential and what motivates them to succeed.
Join a 20-minute demo to see how Startingpoint helps employers look beyond qualifications and uncover the full potential of candidates. The platform showcases personal drivers, disciplines, and values - giving hiring managers evidence-based insights into motivation, ethics, and culture-add. Discover how to attract, assess, and describe people in a way that brings out their rounded strengths and creates real hiring impact.
The Disability Confidence Clinic
In partnership with ImpactMatch, we are hosting a series of employability clinics in the People, Skills & Recruitment Zone. These are bookable appointments, offered on a first come, first served basis.
How disability confident is your organisation, really? Cressida Stephenson, Founder and CEO of EdenChase Associates and creator of the Disability Confidence Diagnostic™, is running ten-minute clinics across both days. Answer six questions about your hiring, assessment and adjustments practice and leave with a Red, Amber or Green rating for your organisation, plus a straight conversation about what it means for Disability Confident verification, the disability pay gap reporting duty confirmed for employers with 250 or more staff, and the disabled and neurodivergent talent your process is currently losing. Drop in, or book a slot. Honest answers only.
Presentation from Cornerstone
Presentation from Corning
Presented by a senior speaker from Corning.
From telco to techco: simplifying technology to accelerate transformation
Technology leaders are under pressure to modernise at pace while improving customer experience, strengthening security and delivering operational efficiency.
In this fireside chat, Stephen Monaghan shares lessons from leading technology transformation across multiple industries including telco, retail and media, and discusses how organisations can move beyond legacy thinking to build modern, customer-focused technology functions. From reducing complexity and strengthening resilience to using tech to drive better customer experiences, the conversation will explore how organisations can create the foundations for long-term change.
Key themes:Turning technology transformation into business transformationSimplifying systems and reducing legacy complexityBalancing innovation, security and operational resilienceCreating a culture that embraces new ways of workingHow technology can help challenger brands deliver better customer experiences
Solving the power problem: Alternative energy and smart grid solutions for data centres
- Is AI changing the way data centres must plan for power or accelerating existing constraints?
- Can AI driven optimisation meaningfully reduce energy consumption or are alternative energy sources the only real solution?
- How can onsite generation, smart grids and hybrid energy models support high density AI workloads?
- Can we currently meet net zero energy targets and what needs to change to achieve this?
Unlocking the Digital Potential of Local Authorities (Learning from BDUK's Local Full Fibre Networks Programme)
Telco Strategies for Consumer Security
HardenStance carries out an annual, global survey assessing telco spending patterns on consumer security software spanning endpoint security, home router security agents and DNS security. Patrick will share this year’s findings amidst soaring incidences of online scams throughout the world. He will also give some pointers regarding how far telcos are willing to go to offer additional protections to their users – and on what terms.
From national to local: How to innovate with AI and Data in public services
- How are digital leaders evolving ICT estates to support scalable, AI-driven public services?
- How do initiatives like the Local AI program move councils from pilots to frontline delivery?
- How do CIOs, CTOs, and CDOs justify infrastructure spend by linking data directly to outcomes for citizens?
- How can we build agile, secure, and inclusive supply chains for the public sector?
Belfast 5GIR Grant Scheme: turning connectivity into adoption
The Purpose Pivot: Leadership strategies for sustainable & ethical impact
How do established leaders steer their organisations toward a higher calling? This session dives into the mechanics of the "pivot" - moving beyond CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) as a side project and making it the primary engine of value creation.
The People, Skills & Recruitment Zone programme has been curated in partnership with ImpactMatch.
Sky-high ambitions: Integrating satellites into the UK’s multi-technology mix
- What are the technical and commercial considerations for deploying satellite to address connectivity gaps and complement terrestrial networks?
- What does the roadmap look like for direct-to-device satellite services? How could this support the elimination of mobile black spots?
- What regulatory and policy coordination is required to support the rapid scaling of non-terrestrial networks?
Next-generation monetisation: Unlocking value in connectivity and beyond
- How can operators leverage their data for new revenue streams?
- What operational innovations should be adopted to lower costs and improve services?
- Which wholesale models and partnerships will deliver the strongest long-term returns in a mature, post rollout market?
- How can operators use passive infrastructure to create platforms for edge computing and IoT?
Smart buildings and the intelligent home
- How is the smart home emerging as an intelligent system that supports daily life management?
- How does connectivity need to evolve to enable smart home applications?
- What roles do the ecosystem and standards play in helping the intelligent home become reality?
The rail revolution: Delivering high-speed connectivity across the network
- How is the deployment of trackside terrestrial and non-terrestrial infrastructure enabling seamless onboard experience for passengers and underpinning data-driven modern rail services?
- What partnership models between telcos and rail companies would facilitate the use of transport corridors for fibre backhaul?
- How can enhanced communications infrastructure improve safety and reliability across the rail network?
Connecting the hard to reach: Rural counties, shared infrastructure and what still isn’t working
- How viable are shared infrastructure and small cell models for long term rural coverage?
- What planning and delivery barriers still exist in rural areas and do they now require reform?
- How effective have recent government initiatives been in closing the rural digital divide?
- Are rural counties ready for the next generation of mobile and connectivity?
- What can be learned from successful use cases?
Digital dignity: Connectivity, devices, and skills in temporary accommodation
- Following the "Fix the Five Basics" campaign, what steps are needed to ensure Wi-Fi is formally recognised and delivered as standard in all temporary placements?
- How can we provide the specific hardware and training refugees need from accessing critical services to pursuing advanced career growth like coding?
- With more than 130,000 households living in Temporary Accommodation in the UK, how does lack of access to Wi-Fi affect the lives of people living there and what can be done to address the connectivity gap for people living in TA?
- How can we improve collaboration between corporates, ITADs, and charities to scale the pipeline of refurbished devices to the frontline?
Inward investment: Competing for capital and driving regional growth
- What are international investors looking for when choosing UK regions for digital infrastructure projects?
- How are Freeports and Investment Zones leveraging connectivity to attract advanced manufacturing and logistics?
- How can local leaders position their regions to capture a share of the multi-billion-pound global AI market?
Building a Strong Start: CV & Application Skills for Early Careers
The AI bubble: Are we overthinking the infrastructure boom?
- With the current rush to build data centres, what’s based on long term demand or short-term hype?
- As AI models become more efficient, could fewer, more intelligent data centres be the answer?
- How should investors and operators assess the risk of overcapacity in a rapidly changing market?
- How can the industry course correct if overcapacity is apparent?
Engineering the future: The evolution of apprenticeships and early career talent
This session explores how the engineering sector is adapting its training models to meet the demands of a rapidly changing industrial landscape. Our experts will discuss the bridge between education and industry, the shift toward "green" and digital skills, and what the "future of work" actually looks like for a new recruit.
The People, Skills & Recruitment Zone programme has been curated in partnership with ImpactMatch.
Network Sovereignty in the United Kingdom: Impacts on Security, Economy and Autonomy
- Restoring security to home networks—the last mile and a critical pillar of digital infrastructure.
- Trends in international regulations of networks and technologies.
- Reinforcing network resilience through innovative European technologies.
- Reducing external dependencies and safeguarding Europe’s strategic autonomy.
- Keeping data and applications under European control through trusted software platforms.
- Creating a sovereign, end-to-end ecosystem encompassing devices, networks, software, and data.
Launching Coop Mobile: Building a digital-first, member-led brand
Introducing Digital Places: Connecting Communities, Closing Gaps
Presentation from The Next Path Device Consortium
The augmented workforce: Redesigning the organisation for the AI era
- What opportunities are there for the sector in deploying AI?
- How advanced are organisations in thinking about the opportunities for AI? And how is it being used to enhance customer XP and product offers and efficiency?
- What does this mean for organisational structures? What skills are needed or are being introduced? And how can we create a workforce that understands and thrive with AI?
- What should we be mindful of as we deploy AI? And manage a 'hybrid' workforce.
Case study presentation: London investment challenges
Customer strategy: Shifting the focus from acquisition to retention
Making consolidation a reality: integration and value creation
- What are the primary technical hurdles when integrating legacy networks into a unified, scalable network infrastructure?
- How can CTOs effectively unify network infrastructure without disrupting service delivery or degrading the customer experience?
- In what ways does network standardisation post-merger impact long-term operational efficiency and the ability to deploy future technologies?
Telecoms needs new voices: Winning the talent battle in a changing workforce
Telecoms is undergoing one of the most significant transformations in its history—becoming a digital infrastructure industry powered by AI, cloud, data, automation, and customer experience. Yet many of the people needed to drive this transformation don't see telecoms as a destination career.
At the same time, a new generation of employees is entering the workforce with different expectations around purpose, learning, communication, wellbeing, diversity, and career progression. They consume information differently, make career decisions differently, and often expect employers to adapt faster than previous generations did.
This discussion explores whether telecoms is ready to modernise its culture, attract talent from outside the industry, and create workplaces where the next generation can thrive.
The evolution of MVNOs in the UK connectivity market
- How are shifting regulatory environments and market dynamics influencing the viability of new MVNO entrants in the UK?
- How can brands (e.g. financial services or broadband providers) successfully integrate mobile offerings to increase customer lifetime value?
- What are the technical and operational benchmarks required to deliver a high-quality, customer-centric mobile experience under an MVNO model?
The Future of Trusted Communications: Regulation, Innovation and Cross-Sector Collaboration
As regulators, governments and industry organisations introduce new measures to combat fraud and strengthen consumer protection, the communications ecosystem faces a growing challenge: how can we enable trust without creating excessive complexity?
Bringing together telecoms, financial services and policy leaders, this panel will explore the evolving framework for trusted communications in the UK and the role of industry collaboration in delivering safer digital experiences.
Roundtable workshop: From strategy to reality: Building credible use cases for local authorities
Business case for a Connected Society
Workshop session with DWP
Hosted by Department for Work & Pensions.
Celebrating inclusive employment success across telecoms and green energy
Panel discussed hosted by the Department for Work and Pensions.
Interview Success for Early Careers: Building Confidence & Impact
Presentation from Dr Abdalla Kablan
Fireside chat with CEO of Virgin Media O2
Leading through uncertainty and protecting your organisation’s culture
- With the market in a state of flux and business leaders having to make difficult commercial decisions, how do you approach communication with your workforce and maintain an environment built on trust?
- How do you ensure that you keep your best people engaged?
- How can leaders intentionally shape an organisation’s culture that maintains legacy strengths while working towards establishing a forward-looking mission?
Defining 6G: The UK’s role in shaping future services and spectrum
- What is the UK's research strategy for 6G, and how will it serve future smart place applications?
- What spectrum policies are required to enable "network-as-a-sensor" capabilities, and the high-bandwidth demands of holographic communication?
- How can the UK bridge the gap between academic innovation and commercial deployment of world beating 6G ecosystem?
Connecting the crowd: Delivering flawless coverage in high-density venues
- How are venue owners leveraging connectivity to drive new revenue streams and enhance the visitor experience?
- What are the critical operational requirements justifying the use of private 5G networks in high-density environments like stadiums and airports?
- How can operators orchestrate 5G, Wi-Fi 7, and IoT to ensure seamless high-capacity performance in complex venue environments?
Rewiring government services: Building the interoperable public sector
- How can a unified, multi-tier data layer effectively bridge the gap between national strategy and local delivery?
- How should the public sector re-architect its cloud and edge compute strategy to support data-heavy services?
- How can interoperable data unite finance, performance, and risk information to drive more sustainable decisions?
“Will AI break the network?” Fibre innovation vs. Infrastructure limits
- Are current fibre networks capable of supporting AI’s relentless demands?
- Is the industry innovating fast enough? If not, why? What are the core challenges with infrastructure constraints?
- Will AI driven demand force a complete rethink of network economics,ownershipand upgrade cycles?
From funding to delivery: Unlocking digital value through partnerships
- With continued budget constraints, what funding and commercial models are proving most effective?
- How can public – private partnerships better support delivery of digital infrastructure at scale?
- What risks should authorities be aware of when entering new partnerships?
- How can inter-authority partnerships get real results for citizens?
The analogue switch off: Protecting the vulnerable in a digital transition
- How can providers and councils bridge the awareness gap for the millions still on copper, ensuring the transition message is clear, reassuring, and jargon-free?
- With the final deadline just a year away, what are the biggest risks left for the millions of elderly and vulnerable people still using the old copper network?
- How can we use this mandatory upgrade as an opportunity to move from basic alarms to proactive health sensors that help people live safely at home for longer?
The resilience mandate: Putting cyber risk and security on the boardroom agenda
- How do we change the language around cybersecurity to ensure the risks and solutions are understood by business leaders?
- How can businesses shift the focus towards a strategy of long-term resilience and be more business focused?
- What measures should businesses consider ensuring rapid response and recovery to cyberattacks?
- Can AI tools help with proactive defence and prevention or is AI a hindrance?
Digital Wales: Accelerating growth through connectivity and innovation
- Are we successfully translating gigabit infrastructure into measurable economic growth for regional SMEs and local communities?
- How can we overcome Wales' distinct geographical and rural challenges through commercial innovation and strategic delivery partnerships?
- How are national and regional policies aligning to streamline funding, planning, and barrier-busting for the 2030 roadmap?
Personality – The new currency
The People, Skills & Recruitment Zone programme has been curated in partnership with ImpactMatch.
The 2030 roadmap: What’s next for the UK connectivity market?
- Now that the networks are largely in place, how do we pivot the focus from coverage to capability and network quality?
- How does the UK maintain its status as a global tech leader as we move into the next 5-10 years?
- How will the convergence of AI-native infrastructure with fixed-mobile networks create new value for shareholders and drive revenue? How can this shift be leveraged to close the digital divide?
Designing the net-zero network of the future
- What practical steps are operators taking to reduce Scope 3 emissions and transition to circular, electrified supply chains?
- How is AI being used to optimise power consumption in while balancing the energy demands of increased AI workloads?
- How are evolving reporting standards and UK green taxonomies shaping investment decisions and opening access to sustainable finance?
The Regenerative High Street: Economic vitality and the "Phygital" town centre
- How can retailers and landlords use AR, IoT, and high-density Wi-Fi to transform empty units into immersive "phygital" showrooms and hybrid work hubs?
- How can real-time footfall, sentiment, and environmental data be used by Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) to prove the economic case for smart town investment?
- What are the scalable lessons from 2025/26 urban regeneration projects in revitalising SMEs and attracting new high-street investment?
Resilient by design: Securing the UK’s national infrastructure
- What are the security risks to national infrastructure and what is the responsibility of different stakeholders in addressing potential threats?
- With the scope of critical national infrastructure having recently expanded, how are newly regulated sectors responding to the changes in reporting and standards?
- How can infrastructure owners leverage AI to defend against the surge of threats to the UK’s public assets?
- What strategies are most effective for identifying and addressing potential risks in the supply chain of national infrastructure?
Capital and connectivity: Funding growth zones and strategic investment
- What is driving investment for data centre growth zones and which regions are the most popular? Why?
- How does power availability, connectivity and planning influence long term investment?
- How do public – private partnerships impact investment?
- What can we learn from successful investment strategies?
Healthcare industry technology, transformation and inclusion
- How can we move beyond pilot schemes to make virtual wards and community-led health hubs a standard, sustainable part of the NHS estate?
- How will unified data platforms and AI diagnostics finally bridge the gap between primary, secondary, and social care at a national scale?
- With 31% of the population still not accessing health services online, how do we ensure "digital-by-default" models do not widen the health inequality gap?
Network API story: To maturity and beyond...
- The UK is one of the leading countries in network API adoption and innovation
- Network APIs are already driving real-world benefits in areas such as fraud prevention, identity management, age verification and quality
- Education about capabilities is often the biggest barrier to enterprise adoption
- How will the next-wave of API-driven innovation unlock value in new industries?
The UK has emerged as one of the leading markets for network API adoption, with mobile operators, financial institutions and technology providers already delivering measurable business outcomes through network API-based services.
Early innovation between UK telecoms companies and the financial services sector has helped to address real-world challenges in fraud, scams and identity management and as this area matures new network APIs promise to drive similar impact across new industries.
This panel will bring together industry leaders who can not only talk about how network APIs are already helping to transform industries but they will also reflect on how these capabilities can be expanded to new sectors and how emerging new capabilities can drive another wave of innovation.
In this interactive panel session challenge them to explain how these capabilities could benefit your industry.
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