A chance for members to hear from Stephen Webb, Director Law Enforcement Programmes, Home Office

Stephen Webb is the Director of Law Enforcement Programmes at the Home Office. In this capacity he is the Senior Responsible Owner for the Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme (ESMCP), Home Office Biometrics (HOB) and National Policing Data Programme (NPDP). He is involved in Home Office work on the adoption of common data standards in the criminal justice system.

Join us on 13th Oct at techUK to hear Stephen update members on the progress of these programme, and answer questions from the audience. Followed by drinks and networking.

The UK has a reputation for producing innovative cyber security companies, with fostering innovation in the cyber security sector being a key theme of the Government’s upcoming National Cyber Security Strategy. To that end, the Government recently announced the creation of two new cyber innovation centres in order to grow and develop the UK’s cyber security ecosystem. A total investment of c£50m will go towards the aim of supporting innovation in the cyber security sector.

techUK and Cyber London (CyLon) have come together to organise a cyber innovation pitchfest, showcasing innovative cyber security start-ups and giving them a chance to pitch to techUK members. Cyber London is Europe’s very first cyber accelerator, offering a three month accelerator programme to some of Europe’s most innovative cyber security start-ups. This event will give attendees the chance to meet new, innovative cyber security companies and gain an understanding of new technological innovations in the cyber security sector.

The pitches will be followed by a panel discussion on how best to foster cyber innovation in the UK.

{bio}talal.rajab@techuk.org{/bio}

Join techUK and Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier KCB CBE DFC ADC MA RAF for the Defence Winter Dinner hosted at IET Savoy Place, on 22 November

Our defence dinners are always very popular with members, civil servants, and members of the armed forces alike. The Defence Spring Dinner is the prime place to engage with the techUK defence community; individuals, businesses and serving personnel brought together through common interests and goals.

Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier KCB CBE DFC ADC MA RAF

Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier is the Chief of the Air Staff, in command of the Royal Air Force, leading a Whole Force of some 35000 Regular and Reserve personnel, and 5000 Civil Servants, supported by thousands of contractors. He is personally accountable for the safe and effective operation of over 700 manned and unmanned aircraft and for meeting the airpower needs of Defence, which currently means thousands of people and every front-line force committed to operations world-wide. In addition to sustaining his people and this exceptionally high level of commitment, he is also responsible for delivering the significant growth in the RAF’s front-line capability announced in the 2015 Defence Review.

Prior to assuming his current appointment in July 2016, he was the Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Military Capability) in the Ministry of Defence between 2012 and 2016, responsible for strategic force design, balance of investment and capability coherence across all areas of UK joint military capability. He has significant other experience in MOD capability planning, acquisition and programme delivery, and his most recent previous command appointment was as Air Officer Commanding 2 Group from 2008 to 2010, responsible for the RAF’s ISTAR, Air Transport, Air-Refuelling, Force Protection and Search and Rescue capabilities.

A Tornado GR4 pilot and flying instructor, he has over 3500 flying hours and extensive operational and command experience, ranging from squadron pilot to theatre commander of British Forces. He received his knighthood in 2014 and was appointed CBE in 2004. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for operations over Iraq in 1999, and the United States Bronze Star for Iraq operations in 2003.

Event Details:

Date: Tuesday 22 November 2016

Venue: IET Savoy Place, London, WC2R 0BL

Timings: Registration & Drinks Reception 18:30 | Event Close 23:00

Dress code: Business attire/ Lounge suit

Cost to attend:

techUK Member Rate: £180.00 + VAT

Non-techUK Member Rate: £240.00 + VAT

techUK Member SME Rate: £135.00 + VAT*

*please contact francesca.whyte@techuk.org to book a SME place (Please note these places are limited)

If you would like to book a table of 10, please contact francesca.whyte@techuk.org 

Sponsorship:

Sponsorship opportunities are available for this event. If your organisation is interested, please contact francesca.whyte@techuk.org 

For further information about the event, please contact:

All week, techUK is running a campaign looking at the future of connectivity in the UK.

World-leading connectivity is vital to the UK’s digital future, and broader economic growth and job creation. This week, we will explore the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead from the perspective of consumers, businesses and regulators. The campaign will focus on the economic and social benefits of connectivity, the opportunities and challenges in rural and urban environments, convergence, and the future of connectivity in the UK.

Digital connectivity is a cornerstone of our future economy. It is essential now more than ever that we view it as a competitive differentiator.

Follow the debate on Twitter using #connectedfuture and read our blogs:

Economic and Social Benefits of Connectivity by Access Partnership

The Impact of Bandwidth on Business by Point Topic

Brexit and Impact on Telecommunication Investment by telcoconsulting

Broadband has become an essential utility, as important for modern life as the provision of electricity or high-speed transport links. A few years back, it was fashionable to look at the success of the “digital economy” or “Internet ecosystem” and attempt to put a specific number on the value-add to the UK economy.[1] Today, it is no exaggeration to say that connectivity underpins almost every aspect our economy and that there are increasingly few commercial activities that can take place without a high speed, robust broadband connection. In fact, Internet connectivity is now the UK’s second biggest economic contributor, behind only the property market, according to a recent study by Boston Consulting Group.[2]

It’s no wonder. Connectivity boost productivity: connectivity removes geographical barriers (cutting out needless journeys), streamlines decision-making, and reorganises business processes to allow for efficiency savings. A recent study by O2 points to £30bn of latent economic growth which can be tapped by investing in connectivity to improve efficiency across the UK’s largest businesses and public organisations.

These benefits are acutely felt in rural areas, where in general the cost of delivering services is higher owing to the greater distances involved. Broadband offers an opportunity to overcome geographical constraints by providing services remotely. Indeed figures compiled by the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs suggest that, through investment in Internet connectivity, productivity growth in rural areas could outstrip that in major towns and cities.

Connectivity brings not just economic benefits but social ones. It is now a vital means of cohering communities and improving the visibility and accessibility of public services. Advances in connectivity present government with an opportunity to respond to the way people work and live today to become more engaged, and make the citizen experience the defining goal. Technology also allows for better collaboration between government services. Using cloud technologies, government can improve both citizen engagement and communications. It can digitally connect and collaborate with people, creating communities around policy issues that encourage citizens to become vested in the issues that most affect them.

Platforms such as Gov.UK Verify and the Open Banking Standard are great examples of the work that the government is doing in this area. The UK is performing well when it comes to connectivity, but there is no room to be complacent. Faced with economic uncertainty in the years ahead, improving connectivity is something concrete which can be done in the here and now to tap latent economic growth.

As an industry, we should encourage the Government that connectivity for all is achievable in the near future. In doing so we would recommend the following core precepts as the bedrock of government policy:

• Embrace the full range of technologies capable providing robust, high-speed broadband to every corner of the country. While fibre is the optimum means of delivery in many cases, in some hard-to-reach and rural areas, wireless and satellite solutions provide a more appropriate and economical alternative.
• Cement the progress made under GDS and embed the cloud first mantra across government. Programmes at the central government level must go hand in hand with local government outreach programmes and investment in digital skills training to ensure no one is left behind.
• Implement a regulatory framework which supports innovation and competition in the market for local broadband services, but also safeguards concrete investments by operators in network infrastructure.

This guest post is part of techUK's Connectivity Campaign Week. More information is available for techUK's Communications Infrastructure Programme.

All blog posts can be found here over the course of the week – Connectivity Campaign Week blog posts.

Join the debate and discussion on the future of Telecoms in the UK on twitter @techUK and #connectedfuture.

[1] A 2010 report commissioned by Vodafone estimated that the Internet ecosystem contributed £82 million to the UK economy and that for each £1 spent on connectivity, an additional £5.30 of commercial or economic activity takes place.

[2] https://www.bcg.com/d/press/1may2015-internet-contributes-10-percent-gdp-uk-economy-12111

Any analyst will tell you one of the primary challenges we all face is lack of usable input. A couple of years ago Point Topic and Adroit were part of a consortium working on a European Commission project to examine mechanisms to drive broadband deeper into hard to reach areas in particular.

Part of the programme was to help regions put together a business case for subsidising the deployment of more bandwidth. The lack of data on the impact of bandwidth was an obstacle that we could only overcome by generating primary sources and the online survey that developed helped us put together a robust set of outcomes.

With the help of the Fifth Sector, the GLA and Manchester University we transferred and conducted an online survey across 11,000 superfast voucher scheme recipients during late 2015 and early 2016.

The analysis shows that the use of faster broadband by London’s SMEs taking up the voucher scheme will enable them to generate £2bn additional sales within the first two years, 32,000 new jobs and to achieve just under £1bn cost savings, making London’s voucher firms considerably more competitive and profitable.

Benefits to SMEs include cost savings, staff time savings, increased sales, improved staff skills and proficiency, and increased productivity of home and mobile workers. The survey found that:

• Average cost savings of 4.8% are expected to be gained
• Average sales (turnover) increases of 10.5% will be enabled
• Staff time savings of 6.1% should be achieved
• Home working and mobile working productivity benefits of 11.1% are expected.

According to the data bandwidth is even more important that we’d previously assumed.  Many, tagged optimistic, models from the noughties and earlier this decade were showing return on investment of 10:1 and that’s been part of the assumption set for much of the decision making globally.

The update resulting from the new input to 27/28:1 is significant.  More projects in more places become far more attractive for policy makers and deployers and uplift follows.

The Brexit votefor example may have been different if high(er) speed broadband was available in more places.  We won’t get distracted by consumer issues for the moment though.

Overall the UK needs to understand where and how quickly we can help business get the services they increasingly need. Symmetric, gigabit broadband is one of the best infrastructure (or any type) investments that can be made.

This guest post is part of techUK's Connectivity Campaign Week. More information is available for techUK's Communications Infrastructure Programme.

All blog posts can be found here over the course of the week – Connectivity Campaign Week blog posts.

Join the debate and discussion on the future of Telecoms in the UK on twitter @techUK and #connectedfuture.

Anna Coast presented a paper on 14 September at the FISP meeting which can be found at www.telcoconsulting.co.uk on the news page. Anna is also presenting a seminar for techUK on 21 October on the Spectrum Business. This is a summary of the paper and the paper’s focus is on financial impact not on wider policy or political issues, or on regulatory changes.

“To use our telecoms industry vernacular, the British people have voted for their version of Structural Separation to leave the European Union (EU), and access is yet again one of the biggest issues.

In Financial Markets, the immediate Brexit panic apparently wiped off some two trillion dollars from world markets. The pound hit a 31-year low. As regards the telecoms sector the key question is “how will companies finance their investments and what will it cost them?” One financial measure used for capital projects (and for regulatory wholesale prices) is cost of capital, using a weighted average or WACC. It covers 1. Equities – 2. Debt and – 3. Country risk, reflecting companies’ capital structure and global reach.

The day after the vote, the equity valuations for all sectors and, in particular, the equity valuations of telecoms companies, declined by approximately 10%.

Debt is a big factor in telecom companies’ balance sheets and will be required for telecoms investment and major network expansion, such as fibre roll out for broadband, or spectrum licences for 5G and to meet data growth such as M2M.   Will the Bank of England’s recent decision to lower interest rates help cushion the impact of pure speculative forces and nudge us forward towards greater investment?

Three months since the Brexit vote is hardly a timescale within which one can judge the business impact on financing of such a major change. However, one metric we could apply will be company revenue mix, and another capital expenditure in technology. Strategists are now re - evaluating their geographic plans, and there might be a “country mix” impact in revenues and investment - both as between the UK and the EU, and between the UK and the Commonwealth countries, and the Rest of the World.

Investment in network technology is required and significant upgrades are needed at the “local access level” (fibre to premises and mobile radio access) and cash will be needed for further roll-outs in the near future.  Levels of State Aid, for example, for fixed broadband in regional areas may well be affected by Brexit.

Mobile networks have heavily invested in spectrum, and further investments in spectrum and radio networks technology could be impacted by factors such as, forex losses, which could result in cost increases hindering companies’ research and development plans. Brexit negotiations could therefore impact upon the scale and timing of 5G rollout.  

The telecoms business depends on talented and committed people. Investment in people and training is a key requirement. Is Brexit likely to have an impact on this? Many senior executives come from different countries and choose to work in different cities around the world, and London has many attractions. Will this change?   Investment is invariably to do with peoples’ confidence, opportunities, and appetite for realistic risks.

In the past thirty years our industry has embraced technology and become totally global. It has brought the world the digital revolution, privatisation, mobility, spectrum revenues for Governments, Wi-Fi, fibre optics, the internet and broadband, the dot-com crash and on line social networking, like twitter. There will be new developments.  

Some may feel that Brexit may have a limited impact on the industry but I feel that the main impact of Brexit is to make us listen more to customers and think more deeply about our telecoms business models and our investment strategy. Of course we then have to act.”

This guest post is part of techUK's Connectivity Campaign Week. More information is available for techUK's Communications Infrastructure Programme.

All blog posts can be found here over the course of the week – Connectivity Campaign Week blog posts.

Join the debate and discussion on the future of Telecoms in the UK on twitter @techUK and #connectedfuture.

In February 2016, the Government announced Gender pay gap reporting legislation that will require large employers to publish their overall mean and median gender pay gaps from 2018. Under the new laws, employers will have to calculate their gender pay gap from April 2017 and publish the details by April 2018. Since the announcement, a number of reports published indicate that one of the most important factors in bridging the gap is increasing the number of women in high-productivity sectors such as tech.      

A McKinsey Global Institute report found that bridging the UK gender gap in work has the potential to create an extra £150 billion on top of business-as-usual GDP forecasts in 2025, and could translate into 840,000 additional female employees.

While there are a plethora of reasons the gender pay gap exists, the McKinsey Global Institute report found one of the key factors is because women work in less productive sectors and are concentrated in lower-paid occupations. Women are least represented in high-productivity sectors and high-salaried sectors such as tech, accounting for only 14% of women in digital. Paving the way for women to occupy such roles could support productivity gains and act as one of the levers for the United Kingdom to narrow the productivity gap to its peers.

This finding is echoed in techUK member Deloitte’s recent report into the Gender Pay Gap, which concludes that technological change will not by itself help to reduce the gender pay gap, but encouraging and enabling more girls and women into STEM subjects and onwards into STEM-related careers will.

To address inequality in the tech sector, through targeted actions and collaboration with the sector, techUK’s Women in Technology programme aims to attract and retain talent from as broad a demographic as possible and increase diversity within the tech sector. The business case is clear to improve these statistics: evidence shows that diversity leads to better decision-making and commercial success. By encouraging women to enter or return to the tech industry at all levels, we become more competitive and more innovative.

As part of our engagement, techUK recently hosted a dinner with the Minister for Women and Equalities, Caroline Dinenage to discuss diversity in tech and early educational interventions. The successful dinner opened a conversation between the sector and the Minister on the number of initiatives the sector is engaging in to encourage more young girls into STEM subjects. We look forward to working with the Minister and her office on these initiatives and drive progress further.

For more information on what the gender pay gap is and actions businesses are taking to successfully tackle it, download the Government’s Transparency Trailblazer’s report. To learn more about techUK’s Women in Tech Programme and the work we are doing, get in touch with Doniya Soni:

{bio}doniya.soni@techuk.org{/bio}

As part of techUK’s ongoing engagement with the Crown Commercial Service (CCS), we are seeking member views on an important initiative to simplify the procurement process for suppliers.

Simplification of the Bidding Process

CCS has made a number of changes to simplify the previous Bidder Pack. Collectively, the aim is for these changes to give CCS tender documents a whole new look and feel with everything the supplier needs to know to price effectively in one place. In addition, CCS is looking at different evaluation methods to make it less restrictive and encourage supplier innovation.

Have Your Say and Help Simplify the Bidding Process for Government Contracts

techUK are running a consultation workshop with CCS to get detailed feedback on the new tender documents and Bidder Pack. The findings will be used to ensure the changes have improved the user experience for providers.
This workshop is specifically for suppliers who have experience of completing tender documents when bidding for government work, particularly if you are a small business.

If you would be interested in attending the workshop – sigh up now.

Relevant information

New Small Business Crown Representative Appointed

Small Business Leaders Share their Thoughts on Public Sector Tech

SME Crown Representative Responds to techUK

Simple, Easy and Accessible Procurement

techUK, CBI, EEF and International Chambers of Commerce have signed an open letter to the Prime Minister saying that UK businesses need a smooth transition to a new single market relationship when the country leaves the EU.

The letter, signed by Julian David of techUK, Carolyn Fairbairn of the CBI, Terry Scuoler of EEF, and Chris Southworth of the International Chamber of Commerce urges the Prime Minister to prioritise access to the single market, which is vital to the health of the UK economy. The letter states: “Leaving the EU without any preferential trade arrangement and defaulting to trading by standard World Trade Organisation rules would have significant costs for British exporters and importers, as well as those in their supply chains”.

techUK believes that the manner in which the UK leaves the EU will have a considerable impact on our sector and the UK economy more broadly. Issues such as data protection and negotiating a new relationship for our services sector are highly complex and agreement may take longer than the two years granted after triggering Article 50. That’s why one of our calls is for a transition period to prevent UK companies falling off a regulatory “cliff edge” when we leave the European Union. This will provide greater certainty for businesses as new regulatory and legal changes are brought in.

The Government must also set out a clear roadmap for consulting with firms of all sectors and sizes to instil confidence that these complex decisions will be evidence-based with and a genuine understanding of the economic implications.

The letter received significant coverage in the media including the FT, Guardian, Mail on Sunday, City AM and Reuters. The full text can be found below.

Dear Prime Minister,

The way in which we leave the EU and on what terms is of critical importance to jobs and investment in the UK. We respect the result of the referendum, but the Government must make sure that the terms of the deal to leave ensure stability, prosperity and improved living standards.

As business leaders we are clear what our priorities are in the upcoming negotiations.

First, the Government has committed to a bespoke arrangement. We believe this must deliver barrier free access to the EU's Single Market, which is vital to the health of the UK economy, especially to our manufacturing and service sectors. Uninterrupted access for our financial services sector is also a major priority. The sector employs thousands of people up and down the country and is critical to growth and job creation among small, medium and large British, and international businesses.

Second, leaving the EU without any preferential trade arrangement and defaulting to trading by standard World Trade Organisation rules would have significant costs for British exporters and importers, as well as those in their supply chains. 90% of UK goods trade with the EU would be subject to new tariffs. That would mean 20% in extra costs for our food and drink industry and 10% for our car producers. Every credible study that has been conducted has shown that this WTO option would do serious and lasting damage to the UK economy and those of our trading partners. The Government should give certainty to business by immediately ruling this option out under any circumstances.

Third, there is a wealth of evidence to suggest EU negotiations will not be completed within the Article 50 two-year timeframe. Many areas of regulation now up for discussion are highly complicated; whether in financial services, data protection regimes or the interconnection of energy supplies. The Government should therefore secure agreement of a transitional period, to ensure that businesses can continue to operate with no 'cliff edge' change to current circumstances until regulatory and legal changes can be implemented.

It’s vital that the on-the-ground expertise of British and international business is used to help get the best deal for the UK. The Government must set out a clear roadmap for consulting with firms of all sectors and sizes to increase confidence that these complex decisions are taken on the basis of fact and a genuine understanding of the economic implications.

The UK voted to leave the EU but not, as the Chancellor said, to cause living standards to decline. We want a Brexit that safeguards future prosperity for everyone across the UK.

Yours sincerely,

Carolyn Fairbairn, CBI

Terry Scuoler, EEF

Chris Southworth, ICC

Julian David, techUK

{bio}charlotte.holloway@techuk.org{/bio}

Cloud computing is fundamental to the UK’s digital future. As techUK’s Cloud 2020 Vision for keeping the UK at the forefront of cloud adoption explains the next wave of the digital revolution is being powered by the internet of things (IoT), advanced mobile applications, big data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI). But it is cloud computing that underpins all of these developments. The cloud is fast becoming our primary means to store, process and manage the vast volumes of real-time data created through digital interactions.

But the ability to access and retrieve data held in the cloud on demand from anywhere regardless of the location is only possible by having a communications infrastructure that provides ubiquitous connectivity. Having a communications infrastructure that keeps pace with mass cloud adoption will therefore be vital to ensure we keep the UK at the forefront of cloud adoption.

The good news is that the UK starts from a position of strength. With 30 Mbps broadband available to 83% of homes, the UK has the highest superfast coverage in Europe. The UK has also benefited from the fastest roll out of 4G mobile broadband networks in Europe with 89.5% coverage to UK homes

This guest post is part of techUK's Connectivity Campaign Week. More information is available for techUK's Communications Infrastructure Programme.

All blog posts can be found here over the course of the week – Connectivity Campaign Week blog posts.

Join the debate and discussion on the future of Telecoms in the UK on twitter@techUK and #connectedfuture.

For more information on techUK's Cloud Computing programme, please contact:

{bio}sue.daley@techuk.org{/bio}

On Wednesday 12 October the House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee launched the findings of its “Robotics and Artificial Intelligence” inquiry. Sue Daley, Head of Big Data and Analytics welcomed the Committee’s report which draws on the points raised in techUK’s written submission to the inquiry.

techUK is pleased that the Committee recognises the potential for robotics and artificial intelligence to bring huge economic and societal benefits. Like all new powerful technologies robotics and AI will bring great changes and it is essential that they are used in a way that enhances the lives of ordinary people and strengthens the society that we live in. By being at the forefront of innovation, the UK can be at the forefront of shaping the practical and ethical decisions that will have to be taken as these technologies become more prominent. “By embracing these technologies we get the opportunity shape their development and use, not just here in the UK but around the world”, said Sue Daley “We have a great opportunity here in the UK to help to define the future – especially give our global leadership in the development of AI.” “We need to approach the future with a combination of confidence and vigilance. Business, academia, citizens and government all have a role to play in ensuring we have an informed and balanced debate about the potential impact of these new technologies and how we can ensure we all benefit from their development and use.

“The Committee is right to call for greater Government leadership in addressing the digital skills gap. This is one of the most urgent policy challenges we face today. The UK is losing £2bn per year due to the inability of employers to fill key digital skills roles. As techUK’s recent Big Data Skills Gap report showed, through a combination of attracting the best international talent and growing a domestic talent pipeline the UK will be able to ensure it has the skills required to maximise the potential of these technologies. But action is needed now. The scale of the growing gap over the next decade cannot be underestimated and must be closed if the UK is to realise the full benefits of AI. The Committee’s view that now is not the time to introduce sector wide regulations echoes techUK’s submission.”

Many of the issues raised in the Committee’s report will be explored further by techUK at its AI event “What Do We Want Our AI Driven Future to Look Like?” being held on Monday 31st October. Speakers at this session will discuss how we build the right economic and social conditions needed to gain public trust and understanding of the opportunities afforded by AI technologies. Spaces are still available for this session. Members interested in attending should click here.

techUK has responded to the House of Commons Justice Select Committee Inquiry on Prison Reform. The Terms of Reference for the inquiry are broad. On the understanding that the Lord Chancellor plan no substantial change to the ambitious programme of reforms to prisons already announced (including the £1.3bn estate modernisation programme), the Committee posed high-level questions such as 'What should be the purpose(s) of prisons? What are the key opportunities and challenges of the central components of prison reform so far announced by the Government? What can be learnt from other fields and other jurisdictions about the creation of prison trusts or foundations and related performance measures?"

techUK used this inquiry as an opportunity to position digital technology as one of the key components to reformation of prions and offender management. Prison Reform represents a transformative opportunity to ensure that the UK’s prison system is a world-leader in efficiency, security and rehabilitation. In this submission techUK sets out the key technologies that our members believe should be core components of prison reform due to their potential to offer real business transformation.

The top-level points to the Committee were:

• Technology should be viewed as a core component of prison reform, particularly with regards to the £1.3bn estate modernisation programme.
  
  
• The key technologies that will be key to prison reform are: better integrated back office systems; identity assurance and biometric technology; in cell technology; data analytics; restriction of illicit mobile phones, and counter-UAV systems.
  
  
• These technologies will allow prisons to realise efficiencies in back office functions, enhance safety and security, and improve rehabilitation efforts.
  
  
• To successfully deliver the transformation that is urgently needed prisons must understand both how tech can be an enabler and the routes for them to be able to access cutting-edge technology. This will require a radical change in how the relevant bodies approach industry engagement. Purchasing organisations must participate in meaningful pre-market engagement with industry to understand the ‘art of the possible’, develop their internal capability and ensure that they are updated with and able to access the innovative technology they need for reformed prisons, as described in techUK’s Three Point Plan for public service transformation.

techUK members can download the full submission below. As details of the reform programme emerge, techUK looks forward to working with all stakeholders to ensure that technology is central to reformed prisons.

{bio}henry.rex@techuk.org{/bio}

According to the Foundation for Information Society Policy (FISP), an independent think tank, London’s poor broadband infrastructure will threaten the capital’s future ability to compete with other global cities.

David Brunnen, FISP member and an independent telecoms infrastructure expert, explains that although demand for broadband is growing rapidly, the capital still relies mostly on networks of copper wires, which Tech City have described as ‘not fit for purpose’.

The solution, the Doundation advocates, is to create a new infrastructure agency, Digital for Londoners (DfL), to ensure that London becomes a ‘Gigabit City’ by 2020.

What are gigabit cities?

In simple terms, gigabit cites provide citizens, business and governments with access to gigabit internet services (1,000 megabits per second or higher). By replacing old copper cables for pure fibre infrastructure, cities can enable public services to take advantage of technology, support businesses to innovate, and improve the lives of citizens. As US President Barack Obama explains, ‘it’s like unleashing a tornado of innovation’.

In the UK, CityFibre, is the main provider of Gigabit Cities. Their network covers 40 cities, including Glasgow and Bristol, across major data centres and busy internet traffic points, and provides 260,000 businesses and 3.7 million homes with gigabit broadband.

On 22nd September 2016, Northampton became the latest UK gigabit city. In an agreement between CityFibre and dbfb, a Northampton-based business internet service provider, businesses will now receive internet speeds of up to 100 times faster than the UK’s average. Paul Griffiths, from Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce, highlights that this investment will play an important role for start-up businesses competing globally.

The initiative will also help Northampton County Council achieve their target of making gigabit broadband available, countywide, by the end of 2017.

Chattanooga

In 2010, Chattanooga, Tennessee, became one of the first cities to make gigabit connectivity widely available. Its mayor, Andy Berke, has described its introduction as a significant source of the city’s economic renewal.

Gigabit broadband has allowed a tech industry to emerge from a city more commonly associated with heavy manufacturing. Tech companies and investment have been drawn by ‘The Gig’ – the local name for the network – resulting in the conversion of former factory buildings into flats, open-space offices, restaurants and shops. In the past three years, the city’s unemployment rate has dropped from 7.8% to 4.1%. The mayor has also linked the city’s wage growth to jobs in the technology sector.

‘The Gig’ was funded by a combination of public and private investment. EPB, the city-owned utility company, borrowed $219 million and received a $111 million grant from the US Government. This government-led approach has given Chattanooga broadband speeds greater than Google Fibre, a major gigabit broadband provider. Wired magazine suggests that government involvement raises expectations, and encourages commercial providers to improve their infrastructure.

Stokab, Stockholm

The Stockholm city government have one of the oldest gigabit strategies, founding the private company, Stokab, to deploy and manage their city-wide fibre network in 1994. Stokab was created to help the city benefit from the new digital era by limiting multiple network deployments, and by stimulating the technology sector.  The end-to-end fibre broadband network serves 700 service provider businesses and connects 90% of residential premises.

The gigabit network has provided a wide variety of economic benefits, including:

• Becoming a catalyst for the technology sector (The Kista Science Park has over 1000 technology businesses, with 24,000 employees)
• Creating growth and jobs valued at €900 million
• Providing low cost broadband services to business – through increased competition – has resulted in an estimated €8.5 million worth of savings
• Increasing housing values by €200 million and rental values by €3.5 million per year

Digital inclusion

Although gigabit broadband could create limitless opportunities, it also has the potential to exacerbate existing inequalities. Citizens, and even small businesses, could lose out if they don’t have the skills or technologies to access the internet.

Salford Council realises the important role technology plays in creating vibrant communities. As part of their rollout of gigabit broadband services across social housing, the Council are introducing a digital skills campaign to encourage more residents online. Volunteers are being recruited to assist neighbours who are less digitally savvy. As encouragement, they are being offered a free IPad and a free broadband service, if they train more than 20 people a year.

Final thoughts

To compete globally, cities will be looking to introduce gigabit broadband infrastructure. London, as a global technology hub and a key driver for growth across the UK, will need to invest in order to support businesses and meet the expectations of citizens. Government may have to provide greater leadership in order to incentivise private sector involvement. Equally, digital exclusion will need to be tackled, to ensure that everyone can participate in the information society.

This guest post is part of techUK's Connectivity Campaign Week. More information is available for techUK's Communications Infrastructure Programme.

All blog posts can be found here over the course of the week – Connectivity Campaign Week blog posts.

Join the debate and discussion on the future of Telecoms in the UK on twitter@techUK and #connectedfuture.

This post previously appeared on the Idox website

We are delighted to announce the Chair is Tom McCann of Sopra Steria and the Vice Chairs are Zoe Cunningham of Softwire and Lee Murray of Triangulate Distribution.

The newly established Central Government Council brings together leaders from across the tech industry and will deliver an ambitious programme of activity between techUK and central Government.

Commenting on their appointment, our Director of Public Services, Naureen Khan said:

“A huge thank you to all of the techUK members who nominated themselves. We now have the industry leadership in place to support and inform our Central Government Programme.”

Chair of the CGC, Tom McCann said:

“I’m delighted to Chair the Central Government Council to drive forward the techUK Central Government Programme. As a Council, we will work with techUK members and stakeholders to support central Government departments to deliver transformation of the UK’s public services and connect tech companies large and small with Government.”

To find out more about the Central Government Council, please contact Rob Driver.

Celebrating Role Models at every level: Nominations are now open for the seventh annual 2017 FDM everywoman in Technology Awards, in association with techUK 

Date: 9 February 2017 18:45
Venue: London Hilton on Park Lane, 22 Park Lane, London W1K 1BE

It’s free to nominate, and you can enter yourself or someone you know who deserves an Award here up to
17 October 2016.

The Awards encourage greater numbers of women to work in tech, driving awareness of career opportunities, as well as showcasing the breadth and diversity of talent contributed by women in tech across industries.

Finalists and winners raise both individual and company profiles, demonstrating to potential customers and colleagues that they are excelling in their field. Designed to be as inclusive as possible; nominations are open to women at all stages of their career, from start-up founders or young high-flyers to leaders within large corporate organisations. The Inspiration Award also recognises men or women who are championing the progress of women working in tech.

To find out more about attending the Awards or getting your company involved click here or contact
info@everywoman.com.

{bio}doniya.soni@techuk.org{/bio}

Supporting rising stars to advance

Date: 13 October 2016 8:30 – 16:45
Venue: The Lowry Hotel, 50 Dearmans Place, Chapel Wharf, M3 5LH, Manchester

Join over 100 middle managers and future leaders for an interactive programme that will equip attendees with practical techniques to navigate workplace challenges, become more confident and, ultimately, unlock their full potential.

everywoman Academies have been running for five years and provide excellent networking opportunities as well as access to inspirational role models. Interactive masterclasses sessions will explore how to become more agile and a leader in times of change, plus develop a growth mind-set and realise new opportunities.

Keynote speakers include:

• Morteza Mahjour, Group Chief Information Officer at Lloyds Banking Group
• Claire Braithwaite, Tech Advisor at Manchester Growth Company

To find out more click here or contact info@everywoman.com.

Our members receive 10% off full price individual tickets by entering the code TADPC16 on Eventbrite.

{bio}doniya.soni@techuk.org{/bio}

STEPPING UP & SHAPING THE FUTURE:

Date: 9 February 2017 8:30 – 16:45
Venue: London Hilton on Park Lane, 22 Park Lane, London W1K 1BE

As the UK’s largest tech forum for women, the 2017 everywoman Forum: Advancing Women in Technology, will gather forward-thinking futurists, many of the brightest business leaders in tech and some of the finest motivators and professionals in female development for an energising one-day event.

Whether you’re an ambitious graduate looking to build a career in the tech sector, an aspiring leader or a manager looking to drive your team’s performance, the inspiring line-up will help give you the skills and motivation you need to succeed.

From communicating in a virtual world and the value of mindful leadership, to the importance of risk-taking in innovation and how to future proof your career, the forum provides a much-needed opportunity for women at every level to give their career the attention it deserves.

To find out more click here or contact info@everywoman.com.
Our members receive 10% off full price individual tickets by entering the code TFDPC17 on Eventbrite.

{bio}doniya.soni@techuk.org{/bio}

techUK joins leading business voices in calling for a transitional single market arrangement if a free trade agreement is not in place by Brexit. Treasury documents put the cost of Brexit at £66 billion to the economy and the Government changes its stance requiring companies to publish their number of foreign employees. In Brussels, MEPs take on Commission proposals on ancillary copyright. Get your weekly tech policy fix below.

You can sign up here for future editions of the Policy Pulse direct to your inbox.

Top Tech Policy News

techUK signs open letter to Government on Brexit negotiations (Guardian)
Joint letter to Prime Minister with CBI, EEF and International Chambers of Commerce says businesses need interim deal if no free trade agreement in place by Brexit.

Treasury estimates put hard Brexit cost at £66 billion (Times)
Cabinet Committee paper estimates GDP could fall by 9.5% if UK reverts to WTO rules upon leaving EU.

Companies will not have to publish number of foreign workers (FT £)
Government steps back from plans after business groups including techUK warn of negative impact on employers.

New shadow ministers for tech in Labour reshuffle (Guardian)
Tom Watson MP becomes Shadow Culture Secretary with Kevin Brennan MP as deputy; Louise Haigh MP takes digital economy brief as Chi Onwurah MP leads on industrial strategy.

techUK Action & Reaction

techUK: UK industry needs interim deal if no free trade agreement ready by Brexit (techUK)
CEO Julian David joins business leaders in call for Government to work with business on Brexit negotiations, highlighting key areas such as data protection and transitionary single market arrangements.

techUK calls on Government to tackle big data skills gap (Computer Weekly)
Updating the Government’s Shortage Occupation List and including big data skills in apprenticeships are among key recommendations in our latest report.

Join the debate with techUK’s #ConnectedFuture campaign (techUK)
This week techUK and guest writers are raising awareness about the social and economic benefits of connectivity in the UK – get involved #connectedfuture.

Brexit & Brussels Bulletin

Cross-party MPs say Parliament must have vote on Brexit deal (City AM)
Senior MPs express concern that Parliament may be sidelined in Brexit negotiations.

New Shadow Brexit Minister calls for immigration restrictions (Guardian)
Keir Starmer MP contradicts Corbyn’s decision to rule out immigration caps but says skilled workers should be welcomed.

Vocal group of MEPs lead the fight on ancillary copyright reforms (Politico £)
Group including Julian Reda MEP and Dan Dalton MEP say “link tax” could prevent new aggregators from entering market and will be harmful for tech.

Future of EU tech hinges on European Court of Justice (Politico £)
Concern over forthcoming verdicts on ad targeting and emerging business models as Commission fails to lead on innovative digital policy.

More News and Comments

New Home Office rules will stifle startup growth (Evening Standard)

Matthew Taylor on his forthcoming employment review for the Prime Minister (Medium)

European Investment Bank chief warns Brexit will affect infrastructure investment (FT £)

Timely piece on using public data as Digital Economy Bill enters Committee Stage (CIO)

Upcoming Events - View full events calendar

Oct 27 - 11th Annual Parliament & Internet Conference

Nov 09 - Supercharging the Digital Economy Conference

Nov 10 - Digital Devolution: Powering Growth (Manchester)

Nov 17 - 2016 UK Internet Governance Forum - Brexit: What next for UK internet Policy

As ever, please get in touch with the team and let us know if there are topics you'd like us to include, leave out, or talk about. We really do like feedback!

{bio}tom.morrison-bell@techuk.org{/bio}

The demands of PSD2 not only include concepts of openness, agility and customer choice but critically demand a level of security beyond that previously in place.

In short More Openness + Consumer Control = Higher Risk.

Strong Authentication is in danger of becoming a catch-phrase not well understood. When is ‘Strong’ not so strong and when is it strong enough? What are the legal implications?

The regulations demand that I know who I am transacting with and the other party know who I am. Without doubt. Without compromise.

This session will educate and inform. Delivered by some of the most informed people on this subject, it will offer the opportunity to question and clarify exactly what is Strong Authentication and how is it achieved.

Proposed Agenda – Running Order - Subject to Change

Introduction

o Purpose of the session
o Story about Trusted Identities
o 5 minutes

Speaker 1

• PSD2 – Building the Blocks and addressing Authentication – Backbase / Monetise TBC
• 20 mins
• 10 Min Discussion

Speaker 2

• Legally Speaking – what are the implications of regulations which govern the possible compromise of Identity - Law Firm TBC
• 20 Mins
• 10 Min Discussion

Speaker 3

• What is Strong Authentication, when is it not Strong and Why do we need it ? – IBM
• 20 mins
• 10 min Discussion

Speaker 4

• How can Strong Authentication be achieved easily, cheaply and deliver a good experience - Intercede
• 20 Mins
• 10 min discussion

Speaker 5

• TBA
• 20 min
• 10 min discussion

Wrap-up - Conclusions - Invitation to form an Interest Group