Last month Mobile UK attended the annual sector conference event, Connected Britain. As always, the event served as a great opportunity for industry leaders and professionals to gather, network and discuss the latest innovations in digital technology, including mobile.

One of the early standout messages came from Allison Kirkby, Chief Executive at BT, who emphasised the industry's responsibility to act as a catalyst for growth. Her remarks highlighted the need for policy and regulatory certainty to attract investment, urging government and industry to collaborate more closely to drive adoption of digital technologies.

Equally, Jeanie York, CTO at Virgin Media, spoke about the transformative potential of AI, comparing its impact to that of the internet itself. She underscored the importance of building robust digital networks, including 5G, to support AI-driven innovation.

Our Director of Policy and Communications, Gareth Elliott, also participated in a panel discussion about accelerating the UK’s digital future with Mark Henry (BT), Brian Potterill (Ofcom) and Ian Newbury (Cityfibre). Gareth touched on breaking down barriers and addressing the hurdles to deployment, paving the way for world-class mobile connectivity infrastructure.  

During the event we recorded our latest podcast episode, hosting Connected Britain’s Managing Director, Rob Chambers, and Spirit Public Sector’s Managing Consultant, Ceren Clulow. These guests joined the episode to reflect on the activities taking place during the event as well as exploring advancements in mobile connectivity.  

During the episode, Rob emphasised Connected Britain’s inspiring growth over the last 10 years. The event is now positioned as a digital economy event, exploring innovation within the sector. Each year, Connected Britain attracts senior figures from across telecoms and government, including CEOs of major operators.  

Rob explained that a key part of the conference now focuses on policy and regulatory frameworks, exploring how planning reform, infrastructure deployment and investment can be driven.  

Gareth also spoke to Ceren Clulow about her involvement with Sherwood Forest’s 5G programme. Ceren was the Project Lead, responsible for delivering a connected experience for guests. As part of the DCMS 5G Testbeds & Trails Programme, Sherwood Forest was able to bring the story of Robin Hood to life in the forest with AR and a private 5G network.

You can find out all about this exciting project in our latest report on our website here.

Watch our latest episode now to get a recap of the Connected Britain activity as we continue to look forward to the future of mobile.

‍