TO BE PUBLISHED March 2027
Starting from:
£99 + VAT
Format: DOWNLOADABLE PDF
This conference will consider next steps for the UK mobile market. Areas for discussion include approaches to securing investment, how to measure and improve coverage and service quality, options for strengthening infrastructure delivery in hard-to-serve locations, and how wider adoption of standalone 5G can support productivity and growth across the economy.
Market review, regulation & investment
It will bring together stakeholders and policymakers to examine priorities for improving UK provision of reliable, resilient and high-quality connectivity in the context of the Government’s Mobile Market Review, the Statement of Strategic Priorities for telecommunications and spectrum now in force, and delivery of commitments under the Telecoms Consumer Charter. Delegates will discuss whether changes to the policy and regulatory framework are needed to support additional private investment, and how Ofcom’s approach to competition and consumer protection interacts with incentives for long-term investment as the market adjusts to consolidation and the transition towards standalone 5G.
Coverage, reliability, infrastructure & resilience
The agenda will assess practical requirements for improving mobile connectivity across the UK, including progress towards the Government’s ambition for all populated areas to have access to standalone 5G by 2030, and priorities following the deadline for the Shared Rural Network’s final coverage obligations at the end of January 2027. Attendees will consider how policy can develop beyond basic geographic coverage to address reliability in rural areas, on transport networks, and in other high-demand or commercially challenging locations.
Discussion will examine options for overcoming infrastructure and planning barriers, implications of the 1.4 GHz spectrum award, due to conclude in early 2027, and the role of satellite direct-to-device services in complementing terrestrial networks. Requirements for maintaining secure and resilient connectivity during outages, emergencies and cyber incidents will also be considered.
Standalone 5G adoption, economic benefits & 6G
Further sessions will assess how investment in mobile networks can translate into wider economic benefits, including approaches to increasing take-up of standalone 5G by businesses and the public sector. Delegates will consider applications across manufacturing, transport, logistics, utilities, health and public services, and the role of private networks. Discussion will also examine longer-term priorities for research, standards and investment in 6G and other advanced connectivity technologies.
Overview of areas for discussion
- policy direction, investment & market conditions:
- Mobile Market Review and Statement of Strategic Priorities for telecommunications and spectrum - implications for regulation, investment incentives and sector growth
- investment environment - regulatory costs, spectrum access, planning, infrastructure requirements and returns on capital
- market structure and competition - VodafoneThree integration, delivery of merger commitments, wholesale access for MVNOs and consumer outcomes
- connectivity quality, coverage & consumer outcomes:
- defining reliable mobile connectivity - approaches to measuring real-world performance, service quality, availability and resilience
- Telecoms Consumer Charter - delivery of voluntary commitments on pricing transparency, affordability and support for vulnerable customers
- infrastructure & nationwide connectivity:
- Shared Rural Network - final coverage obligations, hard-to-serve locations, commercial viability and the transition from coverage expansion to service quality
- connectivity on transport networks and in high-demand locations - rail and road corridors, busy venues and urban capacity
- planning and deployment barriers - site access and the Electronic Communications Code, infrastructure sharing, local authority engagement and differences across the UK
- terrestrial and non-terrestrial connectivity - role of satellite direct-to-device services alongside terrestrial networks in extending coverage and supporting resilience
- standalone 5G, spectrum & future networks:
- standalone 5G adoption - business models, private networks and demand from enterprise and public-sector users
- 1.4 GHz spectrum award and future spectrum needs - longer-term spectrum pipeline and implications for investment, deployment and network capacity
- 6G and advanced connectivity - research, international standards-setting and long-term investment
- security, resilience & critical infrastructure:
- network resilience - continuity during outages, backup power, access to emergency services and requirements for critical national infrastructure
- telecoms security framework - implementation of Telecommunications (Security) Act 2021 requirements, high-risk vendor removal and managing evolving cyber risks
