The Government Panel – Future connectivity, are we too late? 5G, Digital TV and Radio
21st November 2024 from 6:00pm — 8:30pm • Information Technologists' Hall
Join us on 21 November for an event focusing on the future of 5G and other digital technologies, such as digital TV and radio.
Where is the future we were promised? Often our mobile signal on 5G is worse than 4G or 3G or non existent; our DAB radio in the car fails to connect at all and we drop to FM or we don’t bother tuning our digital TVs and just use the internet instead.
Key questions: What is private sector and the Government’s role? What has happened to our future technologies, are they becoming the “Betamax” of their day?
With a panel of experts we will explore: Past , Present and Future – Where did we think we were going to be?; Where are we today?; Where do we want to be tomorrow?
Guest Speakers:
Paul Rhodes, Head of Strategic Consulting, Evolved Networks
Paul has a B Eng in Communications Engineering from University of Hull and worked in the wireless industry internationally for over 30 years. At Evolved Networks he is responsible for RAN and Open vRAN Public and Private network architecture strategy. He has deployed 4G and 5G small cell networks in both classical architecture and as dark-fibre disaggregated RAN networks and is currently refining the technical and cost implications of centralised classic and virtualised networks. During his career Paul has worked in Telco Vendors and Infrastructure Providers, significantly for Ericsson, Nokia, Samsung, CityFibre and World Wide Technology in Technical and Commercial roles in both Europe and North America, and consulted for blue-chip and SMEs including IBM, Pure Storage and IntelSat. He is a Cambridge Wireless Mobile Networks SIG (Special Interest Group) Champion and an Expert Working Group Member in Wireless Networking at UKTIN.
Andy Gill, Independent Consultant in Telecoms
Chartered accountant by training but developed beyond finance to commercial and business roles with 35 years’ experience in senior management roles in Telecoms and public safety with Motorola and Tait communications and latterly as an independent consultant and fractional CFO. During time with Motorola was closely involved in the planning and commercial rollout of next generation of wireless networks for public safety and the promise of what 5G could bring to transport, public safety and industry.
Currently lives in the south east of England , but in a rural area, with the real world experience of how both fixed and wireless connectivity has been rolled out.
Steve Bluff, Wireless Communications Specialist
Steve Bluff has over 20 years’ experience and expertise in communications solutions originally in defence but later expanded into public safety and rural / underserved broadband in communities.
As a former Motorola employee, he is very familiar with Blue Light and Tetra deployment and his involvement spans UK, Ireland, continental Europe, Middle East and Africa.
He was pivotal in getting wireless technology accepted as NGA (30 Mbps) compliant under EU/UK state aid guideline in the face of strong opposition from national incumbents.
