How will climate change/energy insecurity impact the UK’s telecoms networks? To what extent are our networks (directly or indirectly) vulnerable to climate change e.g. voltage instability during heat waves? For further relevant questions on network resilience see BDUK section 3.

Background

For the deployment of current and future technologies, DI wishes to develop a stronger evidence base around the benefits of and barriers to their deployment, with a focus on the adoption of 5G and open network infrastructure to build the resilience of networks and support innovation. DI needs to develop models and techniques to understand efficient spectrum allocation and understand the issues surrounding the use of specific spectrum bands.
DI needs to better understand the trends around technological convergence, future demand for digital connectivity, regulation around access to the internet and emerging cloud services and their impact on security.
DI wishes to complement its understanding of current technology deployment with research into the work driving future technologies to develop and increase the UK’s future capabilities.
All of this needs to be underpinned by further research into the security and resilience of UK networks, addressing future developments and threats, gaining insight into the value of security interventions and barriers to investment in security.

Next steps

If you are keen to register your interest in working and connecting with DSIT Digital Technology and Telecoms Group and/or submitting evidence, then please complete the DSIT-ARI Evidence survey - https://dsit.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cDfmK2OukVAnirs.
Please view full details: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/department-for-science-innovation-and-technology-areas-of-research-interest/dsit-areas-of-research-interest-2024

Source

This question was published as part of the set of ARIs in this document:

DSIT Areas of Research Interest 2024 GOV UK

Related UKRI funded projects


  • UKRI-India Future Networks Initiative

    This proposal will provide the networking and pump priming funds needed to establish a re-strengthened Indo-UK telecoms research network; academically led but including UK and Indian industry partners. The science scope...

    Funded by: EPSRC

    Lead research organisation: University of East Anglia

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project focuses on the impact of climate change on telecoms networks, specifically addressing issues such as energy efficiency, security, and future network technologies.

  • IRENE: Improving the robustness of urban electricity networks

    Most critical urban infrastructures like water supply, infrastructure monitoring (e.g. tunnels) and emergency communication services depend on electricity. For smart cities, this dependency will only grow. This means tha...

    Funded by: ESRC

    Lead research organisation: Queen Mary University of London

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project focuses on improving the robustness of urban electricity networks, which are critical for infrastructure monitoring and emergency communication services, directly related to the impact of climate change on telecoms networks.

  • A Covid-19 solution to address the need for rapid reconfiguration of secure digital connectivity to internet or enterprise networks to enable ‘Work from Anywhere’

    **What is Albeego?** In today's increasingly connected world there is a constant demand for faster, secure and stable access to the internet or private enterprise networks, especially when on the move. With the busines...

    Funded by: Innovate UK

    Lead research organisation: REMARKABLE TECHNOLOGY LIMITED

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project addresses the need for rapid reconfiguration of secure digital connectivity, which is indirectly related to the impact of climate change on telecoms networks.