The UK Needs Better Signposting On Its Front Door to Telecoms R&D

Secure and reliable connectivity has never been more important. It connects the country and provides the basic infrastructure on which we build all elements of our digital lives, both social and economic.

It's an exciting time to be in telecoms. We're seeing Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) becoming an affordable way to deliver connectivity to traditionally hard-to-reach areas; advancements in compound semiconductors and AI; and new models for building networks that open up opportunities for new players to enter the market. As a result, it's become an attractive industry for many to invest in and be part of. In fact, telecoms revenue contributed £31.8 billion to the UK economy in 2022.

However, navigating the telecoms sector has its challenges. It requires having the knowledge to interact and engage with the market; understanding what funds are available to actively innovate in the space; and knowing how to position intellectual property in a way that retains long-term value. Even for those active in product development and already investing in telecoms R&D, knowing where help exists is difficult.

As a result, many businesses don't know where to start.

Fragmentation in the market

The reality is there is a lot of fragmentation in the UK telecoms market. Small businesses, especially spin-outs and start-ups, don't always have the right connections and as a result, find themselves lost in a forest.

While larger companies in the tech industry may have the edge as they can rely on personal connections and customer insights, for brands where telecoms aren't their bread and butter, this also isn't easy.

This dispersed marketplace has become a complex sector to navigate. How can businesses successfully innovate with the telecoms sector to put themselves ahead of the competition?

Better signposting is needed

What's been missing is a clear map of the UK telecoms ecosystem that is able to signpost relevant pools of talent, resources and expertise. This needs to be front and centre when UK business is thinking about its digital future. Ensuring organisations have the support needed to interpret the hype and maximise opportunities has never been more important.

This is doubly true for investors coming from abroad. The UK has many advantages when it comes to telecoms and innovation more broadly, hosting several regional clusters of expertise as well as having academic strengths. But seeing past the glow to identify where the real opportunities are waiting can be daunting and is too often hit-or-miss.

The UK Telecoms Innovation Network (UKTIN) has been established to help the UK build on its existing strengths, overcoming fragmentation within the sector and providing a smoother path to growth. The network convenes expertise from across the UK telecoms research, development and innovation ecosystem, bringing distinct specialisms and knowledge pools together, and strengthening working relationships between industry, government and academia.

Through its expert working groups, UKTIN is helping to inform and support the development of a UK telecoms R&D policy that is vital to creating a thriving and resilient telecoms industry.

By establishing a shared public and private sector strategic vision, facilitating cross-government alignment on telecoms policy, and shaping a regulatory and political environment, the telecoms sector is being set up for success. This means UK businesses can remain at the forefront of new connectivity innovations and flourish in the years to come.

Future of telecoms

As the telecoms market embraces new approaches such as Open RAN, and technologies such as AI and next-generation networks, there is a huge potential for businesses of all sizes to be part of the next wave of growth.

Nick Johnson, Head of UKTIN, says: "For businesses looking to innovate in telecoms, whether at home or abroad, UKTIN has the platform and experience to support companies in identifying and capturing new opportunities. It is helping guide businesses and researchers through the UK R&D ecosystem, as well as capturing key insights on how to engage with prospects, funds and facilities.

"In convening this ecosystem, UKTIN is opening up new possibilities for innovation and growth, strengthening UK telecoms as a thriving, resilient and internationally significant sector."

By Nick Johnson

Nick Johnson is the head of the UK Telecoms Innovation Network (UKTIN). He is well known and respected across the industry, holding several patents and having previously held chair positions for the Small Cell Forum. Nick has led start-ups from inception, growth, venture capital investment to eventual acquisition, and experienced the full business cycle of the telecoms industry from the boom years of the late nineties, the telecom winter of the early noughties, through to the mature and thriving industry we see today.