Innovation UK > News > Innovation UK Vol5-1 > Positioning digital communications to serve the future needs of the UK

Communications technology is a vital component of the UK economy, both directly through the communications sector, and as an enabler for most other sectors of the economy. Indeed, digital communications is transformational for many sectors, creating new ways of doing business. The objective of the Digital Communications Knowledge Transfer Network (DC-KTN) is to facilitate knowledge exchange on digital communications technologies and their capabilities within the sector and with other sectors which depend on digital communications.

The DC-KTN takes a broad view of what constitutes communications infrastructure. It includes, among other things, the network and service infrastructure through which people access content and services of all kinds: fixed and mobile access networks, broadcasting networks, the core network infrastructure and the service infrastructure for both content and communications services and their security.

The UK has leading-edge digital communications research, world-class operators, is a preferred location for many inward investors and has thousands of companies dependent on communications technology. Our aim is to build on this capability, to enable UK-based companies to compete globally, and to enhance the competitiveness of those other sectors of the economy dependent on digital communications.

OBJECTIVES

The primary objective of the DC-KTN is to stimulate economic growth, facilitating the development of digital communications technologies and their adoption as a key enabler in other industries. It aims to:

• Deliver improved industrial performance through innovation and new collaborations by driving the flow of people, knowledge and experience between digital communications businesses and the science-base and across the sectors for which digital communications is an underpinning technology.
• Drive knowledge transfer between the supply and demand sides of digital communications through the provision of a number of high quality events held nationwide, plus an easy to use service online.
• Facilitate innovation and knowledge transfer by providing UK businesses with the opportunity to meet and network with individuals and organisations, in the UK and internationally.
• Provide a forum for a coherent business voice to inform government of its technology needs and about issues, such as regulation, which are enhancing or inhibiting technological innovation in the UK.
• Encourage increasing inward investment and support the growth of the UK-based activities of the global companies involved in digital communications technologies and services.
• Promote digital communications as a sector that is vibrant and rewarding to work in; particular attention needs to be paid to attracting potential students into the discipline, illustrating the career potential that the sector can offer. Industry and academia must work together to develop appropriate promotional material and to explore how best to proceed.

A particular focus of this KTN is the application of the above in other sectors. This involves close collaboration with other KTNs such as Grid Computing, Location and Timing, Cyber Security, Photonics, Electronics, Healthcare Technologies, Intelligent Transport Systems and Creative Industries. The target is to ensure that future communications infrastructure will be fit for purpose.

NETWORK OF NETWORKS

The DC-KTN collaborates closely with a range of existing networks as a means of extending its reach and supporting successful existing activities. Our interaction with other networks in our first year of operation has been extensive and highly successful. The organisations in our network of networks include:

• 3C Research
• Cambridge Wireless
• DSPScotland
• InfoLab21
• The Institute of Advanced Telecommunications (IAT)
• The Institute of Electronics, Communications and Information Technology (ECIT
  Intellect
• International Association of Broadcast Manufacturers (IABM)
• IP-City Network
• Mobile Data Association
• Mobile Monday
• Silicon South West
• Wireless Innovation Centre.

The mutual co-operation benefits all the organisations involved and greatly enhances the dissemination of information in the digital communications sector.

PRIORITIES

The Digital Communications KTN has been established on a not-for-profit basis by senior company representatives from the equipment manufacturer, network operator, service provider, application developer and broadcaster segments of the sector. It is funded by the Technology Strategy Board. It is governed by a Company Board, but the DC-KTN also has a Programme Steering Group. The Steering Group identifies the priorities for the DC-KTN. This priority list is monitored continually and is updated as events happen and trends become apparent:

• Broadband ? next-generation access
• UK participation in Framework Programme 7 (FP7)
• UK R&D ranking
• Digital Communications benchmarking missions
• Readiness for UK Web 2.0 and beyond
• Security and identity management
• Support for Digital UK (transport, education, health, and energy and the environment)
• Digital Communications skills
• Payment systems in a Digital Communications world
• Investors
• Broadcast and the role of the internet
• Radio spectrum
• The green agenda
• The future of the Internet.

ACTIVITIES

As a knowledge transfer organisation, the DC-KTN has a number of primary forms of activity. The most important of these are events and working groups. In addition to these it also provides a website (www.dcktn.org.uk) and a newsletter sent to members every month.

EVENTS

From its launch of operations in the second quarter of 2008, the DC-KTN has organised more than 40 events in diverse locations around the UK on topics of interest to the digital communications and other sectors. It has also supported around 20 more events of interest to the sector which were managed by other organisations.

Examples of the type of events that are held by the DC-KTN include:

• Events on collaborative research, introduction to FP7 research support and a masterclass on raising FP7 funding.
• A series of events in next generation access including events on photonics technologies and a series of consultations on the issues and needs surrounding next generation access roll out.
• Events in collaboration with other sectors such as transport (Intelligent Transport Systems technologies and markets) and health (smart care and assisted living).
• A competition for SMEs in the mobile sector to win stand space at the UKTI stand at the Mobile World Congress 2009 in Barcelona.
• Participation at technology shows such as Innovate ?08 and Technology World ?08.
• A series of events on spectrum, looking at the demand for spectrum and the possibilities of using broadcasting ?white space? for data communications.

WORKING GROUPS

Working Groups are a key mechanism to ensure that the activities of the DC-KTN are appropriately focused. As with many other sectors, the digital communications sector is far too diverse to allow any one or small group of individuals to keep up with all the relevant developments. Therefore, the Steering Board chooses areas of focus for working groups and a group of experts is then assembled to advise on the developments within that area.

Key to the successful operation of a working group is the role of the Domain Expert. These are essentially Working Group managers who have a level of expertise on the area covered. Their role is to ensure that the Working Groups maintain momentum ? a critical role when most Working Group members are senior people with punishing schedules.

Currently, the list of working groups includes:

• Broadband ? next generation access
• Spectrum
• Digital Communications skills
• Broadcasting
• Collaboration.
• The list of Working Groups is expected to expand and change over time with some groups running their course and wrapping up their activities and others emerging as new issues and priorities arise.

For further information about the DC-KTN, contact:
Philip Hargrave,
the DC-KTN CEO and
Network Director on
Tel: 020 7331 2056
E-mail:
Website: www.dc-ktn.org.uk