UK Joins Global Coalition to Develop Next Gen Telecoms

The Government has this morning announced that the UK is to join the Global Coalition on Telecommunications (GCOT) and commit £70m to the Future Telecoms UKRI Technology Missions Fund (TMF) Programme. Both of which are intended to help research and develop the next generation of telecoms, broadband and 6G networks etc.

The GCOT is an informal multilateral alliance – now comprising the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Japan, and the USA. The coalition holds the shared objective of facilitating collaborative communication and joint activities in the realm of telecommunications policy, while also exploring how to enhance the resilience of communication networks (e.g. protecting against cyberattacks), researching new connection technologies and fostering development of those solutions.

At the same time the government has also pledged to invest an “initial” £70 million to develop the next generation of telecommunications technologies via the Future Telecoms Technology Missions Fund (TMF) Programme.

Supported by businesses and University-led Future Telecoms Research Hubs to help facilitate early-stage research, the TMF aims to help the UK become a leader in 6G (mobile broadband) technology and beyond – including new technologies to better connect space-based (satellite) and terrestrial networks, step-changes in capacity/speeds in data transfer and improving energy efficiency of our networks through cloudification.

Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Tech, Michelle Donelan, said:

“This historic partnership reflects our shared commitment to harnessing the power of telecommunications for the benefit of our nations and the world at large.

Telecommunications networks are the lifeline of global economies, and safeguarding their resilience and security in an evolving, interconnected world is a top priority for our governments.

By joining forces, the UK and our partners are well-positioned to take the lead in broadening supply chains, nurturing industry knowledge, and bolstering security to address emerging challenges.”

Dr Kedar Pandya, Executive Director of Cross-Council Programmes at UKRI, said:

“This £70 million investment will, via the Future Telecoms UKRI Technology Missions Fund (TMF) Programme, form part of the UK’s contribution to international cooperation in this field and provide tangible benefits to the population and economy.

The UKRI Technology Missions funding is designed to exploit the UK’s global leadership in transformative technologies to help solve specific problems, while also helping to lay the foundations for a longer-term leading position.

In addition, UKRI is investing £250 million through the UKRI Technology Missions Fund to enable new and existing capabilities and capacity in artificial intelligence, quantum technologies and engineering biology in the years 2023-2025 and beyond.”

In addition to the proposed TMF hubs, Innovate UK will also fund application-focused challenges to accelerate market-ready solutions and foster collaboration in the UK’s telecoms sector. International cooperation across both of these areas, including through the new GCOT partnership, may well help the UK to shape global telecoms technologies and safeguard the country’s security interests.

Innovate UK competitions under the Future Telecoms Technology Mission Fund are launching from 6th October 2023 – here.