I had the privilege of representing CGI on a panel at techUK's Future Telecoms Conference 2025, discussing cross-sector collaboration and private networks. Our focus? Strengthening telecoms support for Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) and exploring potential ways to achieve greater benefits for the UK.
CNI is essential to keeping the UK running - powering essential services, from energy and water to transport and healthcare. Yet, it depends on resilient, reliable connectivity, even in harsh weather conditions and during power outages.
It was fascinating to compare international approaches and to hear how expectations in some other countries are much higher. In Japan, for example, high-speed connectivity is available along the entire bullet train route - meanwhile, here in the UK, as a regular traveler between London and Manchester, that’s been far from my experience!
Connectivity gaps: the challenge for CNI
The panel, which included representatives from Ofcom, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), and the energy sector, explored a broad range of topics - from the barriers to telecoms growth to the role of private networks and net zero goals. We also discussed the need to work better together across industry, government, Ofcom and other UK regulators.
As is often the case in telecoms, while much of the UK enjoys strong mobile coverage, rural areas, where much of our CNI is located, are frequently left behind. Key sites like reservoirs, water treatment plants, substations, and renewable energy facilities rely on robust communications, yet often have little to no connectivity.
The situation is set to worsen with the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) switch-off this year and the planned retirement of 2G networks in a few years’ time. In many remote locations where there is no fixed or mobile coverage for broadband, these legacy networks are still the default option. Road and rail networks also suffer from patchy coverage - something that is often a real barrier to encouraging greater use of lower-emission public transport.
Private networks: a powerful tool, but not a silver bullet
We also discussed the role of private networks - check out techUK’s Private networks: a new user guide for an excellent guide on this topic. Private networks are typically used to provide dedicated coverage over campus areas such as factories, ports, hospitals, and universities, where high bandwidth coverage is required or there may be data privacy concerns with sensitive data being shared over a public network.
Private networks are also deployed by utilities to monitor and manage their remote assets. However, there is a risk of fragmentation. Each private network consumes spectrum, a scarce resource - especially in the bands needed for wide-area, high-performance coverage. If each utility builds its own network, we risk duplicating investment and inefficiently consuming valuable resources.
Rethinking the model: a shared CNI network
Even after the completion of the £1 billion Shared Rural Network project by the end of 2025, 5% of the UK population will still lack mobile coverage.
What if we approached this differently?
Rather than multiple separate investments, what if we developed a single CNI network - one designed to serve the hardest-to-reach areas of the UK, focused on meeting specific CNI requirements, and built with resilience in mind? This network could:
- Ensure robust connectivity in critical areas, even during severe conditions and power outages
- Leverage existing telecoms infrastructure to reduce duplication and costs
- Address a high proportion of the remaining rural connectivity gap, benefiting consumers as a side effect
Collaboration: the key to a smarter, more efficient future
To make this vision a reality, we need collaboration. Utilities must align on shared requirements—including security, coverage, performance, and power resilience—and work together to define a procurement approach that maximises efficiency.
By pooling resources and exploring public-private funding opportunities, we could unlock a far more cost-effective solution compared with building separate networks for each utility and investing further to close the remaining rural coverage gap.
At CGI, we are fully committed to engaging with key stakeholders to drive this forward. Over the coming weeks, we’ll be connecting with industry leaders to explore how we can turn this vision into reality. Watch this space!
Final Thoughts
This challenge is too big for any one organisation to solve alone. But by thinking differently, working collaboratively, and prioritising outcomes, we can create a more resilient, efficient, and future-ready telecoms network for the UK.
If you’d like to discuss this further, get in touch with us today.
About this author
Alan Nunn
Communications Subject Matter Expert
Alan has almost four decades of experience in UK Telecoms, having worked in various roles at BT, as CTO at Newport Networks and as a Telecoms Consultant. Through his career, he has built great experience in developing business strategy and creating road maps for technology ...
