The UK’s telecoms market is thriving but understanding how the ecosystem is innovating can be difficult, especially considering the rapid advancements in academia and industry. UKTIN has therefore written a Market Research Analysis Annual Report: bringing together insights from industry, government and academia. The UKTIN programme is uniquely positioned to collate, assess and relay this information, aiming to overcome fragmentation within the innovation ecosystem and inform future activity in telecoms.
We spoke to Rachel Hugonin, Research & Policy Manager at Digital Catapult, where the data was compiled and analysed, to learn more.
Please tell us about the Market Research Analysis Annual Report.
The report explores the UK’s telecoms innovation ecosystem, based on insights from industry experts and primary research. It provides a non-technical overview of the key topics and subject areas of the UKTIN Expert Working Groups: AI, semiconductors, security and others. It provides an in-depth analysis of the current state of the UK industrial and academic R&D&I activities in telecoms, identifying trends within telecoms innovation and case studies.
Who will the report be of most value to? How do you anticipate it will be used?
We hope the report will be of value to the entirety of the telecoms innovation ecosystem - both in the UK and further afield - particularly organisations wishing to gain further insights into projects and activities happening within the sector. Academics will benefit from the report too, as they will be able to have an overview of current research and identify opportunities for future research projects. We like to think of this as your first guide and travel companion to explore the UK telecoms innovation ecosystem in 2024 and beyond.
How does this work sit alongside the Market Research Insight Reports?
The Market Research Insights reports incorporate quantitative and qualitative analysis of the work of the Expert Working Groups, acting as a deep dive on a particular topic. The Market Research Analysis Annual Report gives a broader overview of the UK telecoms ecosystem as a whole, including insights on policy and government strategies; the report also has a more international perspective, providing a comparison of R&D initiatives with other countries, drawing on wider trends. This international aspect is key - showing the broader context across Europe, Asia, the US and beyond in which the UK ecosystem sits. The report also hones in on telco businesses, including case studies and highlighting current challenges met by companies.
What was your process? Did you face any challenges?
The report was produced in collaboration with the University of Bristol, Satellite Applications Catapult and Compound Semiconductor Applications Catapult. We conducted desk research alongside interviews with the chairs and secretariats of the Expert Working Groups to validate findings and add context. The team decided to adopt a more qualitative approach rather than quantitative for this report and hopes to use this initial research as a benchmark for future reports on the UK innovation ecosystem.
What were your findings?
The analysis of the R&D and innovation landscape in the UK showed a vibrant ecosystem: it is diverse and made up of strong partnerships, particularly between industry and academia. Yet, the need for skills within the sector was a key finding. : The UK is making good progress in certain innovation areas within telecoms, such as AI and optical, and is successfully collaborating internationally, which will be essential to ensure the security and resilience of telecoms supply chains.
