FTH Contributor in the UK Government’s Modern Industrial Strategy for Digital and Technologies
The Federated Telecoms Hubs (FTH) is proud to be recognised as a contributor in the UK Government’s newly launched Digital and Technologies Sector Plan, as part of the Modern Industrial Strategy. The strategy outlines an ambitious roadmap for national innovation and economic growth, positioning Advanced Connectivity Technology (ACT) as a foundational pillar of the UK’s future prosperity.
ACT has been identified as a ‘frontier technology’, one of the areas with the highest growth potential, forecast to generate £14.6 billion in productivity benefits by 2035. The mission is to build on the UK’s world leading research base to support greater domestic commercialisation of ACT and promote UK technology internationally. The strategy aims to maximise the benefits of 5G and gigabit broadband while establishing the UK as a global leader in ACT.
“In international comparisons, the UK has traditionally produced one of the strongest research outputs in advanced communication technologies. It has been a privilege to contribute to shaping something new like the FTH, which benefits from being deeply rooted in research across four hubs – TITAN, HASC, CHEDDAR, and JOINER – developing new measures to help translate this clear advantage into broader benefits for UK PLC.”
Professor Harald Haas, University of Cambridge | FTH Co-Director & TITAN Director
With significant funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and supported by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), FTH is proud to play a role in advancing the government’s vision. We deliver this by collaborating across the communications ecosystem – working with partners in government, industry and academia. We translate cutting-edge research across leading UK universities into impacts that benefit society, while driving economic growth across multiple sectors.
“Harnessing national AI, Computer Science and Telecoms research talent allows us to fulfil the UK’s ambition to have more trusted, secure, intelligent solutions embedded in world-wide networks. Enhancing our critical ACT infrastructure will better support new future applications and provide more equitable access to all.”
Professor Julie McCann, Imperial College London | FTH Co-Director & CHEDDAR Director
Part of the government strategy is a four-year research programme that will bring academia and industry together with a sharpened emphasis on commercialisation, leveraging UK strengths and priority applications, such as defence, transport and future telecoms networks, including satellites. FTH’s Technology Standards and Commercialisation initiatives support these aims by bridging the expanse of leading research with real world deployment.
Additionally, the Government’s efforts will also focus on strengthening the UK’s world class laboratory infrastructure – providing UK ACT firms with the facilities they need to grow by strengthening our world-class lab infrastructure through an initial £130 million. FTH’s JOINER is already integrated as a national experimentation platform and builds on this mission.
“We applaud the UK Government’s Modern Industrial Strategy for highlighting Advanced Connectivity Technologies at the heart of national growth. Our JOINER Infrastructure—already integrating communication technologies in a national platform—stands ready to accelerate maturity of emerging technologies, catalyse innovation and connect communities of researchers and innovators across the country to co-create commercial value and drive growth”
Professor Dimitra Simeonidou, University of Bristol | FTH Co-Director & JOINER Director
To support the growth of UK based ACT firms, the strategy prioritises providing access to the advanced facilities and resources to scale. Ensuring sufficient spectrum availability through close international collaboration is another priority of the government. FTH’s HASC focuses on all spectrum connectivity and how to combine wired and wireless internet technologies to achieve end-to-end connectivity.
“The UK has a leading position in advanced connectivity technologies, and the announcement of continued investment in this area will help the maintain and enhance this, with potential benefits to the economy and the citizen”
Professor Dominic O’Brien, University of Oxford | FTH Co-Director & HASC Director
Finally, the UK will deepen global collaboration with key ACT nations – including Japan, India, the US, and the EU – while continuing to play a leading role in the Global Coalition on Telecoms. Our Hubs have already developed strong working relationships with industry bodies and organisations in these countries and will continue to deepen ties.
Through initiatives like FTH, the UK is building a robust ACT ecosystem, one that draws on national strengths in areas such as network-of-networks technologies and architectures, AI and edge-fog-cloud computing, and quantum communications.
