West Midlands Telecoms Showcase: Regional Collaboration in Action

On 22 January, Dr Yadav attended the West Midlands Telecoms Showcase, hosted by UK Telecoms Lab (UKTL) and techUK. The event brought together local authorities, industry leaders, innovators, and researchers from across the region to discuss the role of advanced connectivity in supporting regional and national transformation.

Reflecting on the day, Dr Yadav noted:

“What stood out most was the clarity around place-based collaboration. The discussions consistently reinforced that advanced connectivity is now essential infrastructure for everyday life and inclusive growth, but its benefits only materialise when organisations work end-to-end across policy, deployment, skills, and security.”

The Showcase highlighted how the West Midlands is moving beyond pilot activity towards real delivery, linking infrastructure investment with data, AI, and inclusion. The work of WM5G, funded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (formerly DCMS), was frequently referenced as a strong example of addressing real public sector challenges — optimising services, improving digital access, and tackling employability and skills gaps.

Discussions were open and pragmatic about rollout challenges, but also clear that when regions come together around shared problems, practical and scalable solutions emerge. Dr Yadav left with a strong sense that the West Midlands is not simply discussing digital transformation, but actively delivering it.

A recurring message throughout the day was the importance of regional collaboration. When local authorities, industry, universities, and innovators work together, outcomes tend to be more practical, relevant, and deployable. Rather than focusing solely on technology, the emphasis has been on outcomes — how connectivity can support public services, economic participation, and inclusive growth.

The Showcase also highlighted the West Midlands’ role in accelerating digital transformation across the UK, acting as a bridge from testbed to rollout and from research to live deployment. Contributions from regional leaders, local government, SMEs, and researchers reinforced that success depends not only on infrastructure, but also on people, processes, and organisational readiness. Telecoms security was repeatedly highlighted as a critical enabler as networks become more open, software-defined, and embedded in essential services.

From Dr Yadav’s perspective, the event clearly demonstrated how regional initiatives align with wider national priorities around economic impact, public value, and resilience. The West Midlands’ collaborative model shows how secure connectivity can be embedded early, innovation can be de-risked through real-world validation, and regional ecosystems can support national capability building.

Events like this function not just as showcases, but as enablers, creating the conditions for meaningful collaboration. The West Midlands is already demonstrating what is possible when collaboration itself is treated as critical infrastructure.