The UK has big ambitions for AI, but there is a question the telecoms industry believes needs more attention: does the country have the infrastructure to support it?
As AI adoption grows, so will the demands on mobile networks. More connected devices, increased data traffic and applications requiring faster, more reliable connections will put additional pressure on an infrastructure that is already facing challenges.
For Steve Cray, Managing Director of Cellnex UK, the country is moving in the right direction, but there is still considerable work to do.
“You can have the best AI systems in the world, but if you can’t actually access them and use them on a day-to-day basis, that’s obviously problematic,” he tells Mobile Europe. “We need a much more joined-up approach that considers everything required, whether that’s power, transmission networks, mobile connectivity or other infrastructure. All these things need to be looked at more holistically than perhaps they have been historically.”
The UK’s mobile networks need to catch up
Having spent over two decades in the telecoms industry, Cray has witnessed several generations of mobile technology and the changes they have brought to the UK market. Much of the country’s existing mobile infrastructure dates to the days of 2G, with operators having to modernise and upgrade their networks while navigating mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures and network-sharing agreements.
“The UK has been through a massive journey over those years as the infrastructure has been continually modernised and replaced,” he explains.
“The complexities of the UK market are both fascinating and sometimes really challenging.”
But the challenge today is not simply about maintaining existing infrastructure. People’s expectations of mobile connectivity have changed significantly. Where previous generations of mobile technology were largely judged on whether users could make a call or send a text, today’s consumers expect to access the internet, stream content and work from almost anywhere.
As a result, Cray believes the UK has historically prioritised coverage, but now needs to place greater emphasis on network quality.
“When you look at network quality in the UK on 5G, we still have some catching up to do compared with many other European countries,” he notes.
He argues that improving coverage alone will not be enough to support the next generation of applications.
AI will put new pressure on networks
One of the biggest changes AI could bring to mobile infrastructure is the amount of information networks will need to carry.
“Rather than just thinking about networks in terms of download speeds or coverage, we also need to consider upload capability,” he says.
Cray estimates that AI could require two to three times as much upload activity compared with typical network use today. This could create new pressure points for operators, particularly as AI moves beyond smartphones into wearable devices, connected vehicles and sensor-based applications.
“Latency can be really important for some of those AI applications as well,” he says.
5G Standalone offers one way to address these requirements, with its ability to support ultra-low-latency services. However, operators will also need the right sites and infrastructure to deliver capacity where it is needed.
For Cray, the expectation of reliable connectivity is already changing.
“It’s no longer a nice-to-have for people. They absolutely expect that that’s what they’re going to have available to them.”
Who is responsible if the UK falls behind?
If the UK’s infrastructure fails to keep up with its AI ambitions, who should take responsibility?
For Cray, the answer is not simply the government or mobile network operators. Both national and local government, alongside the telecommunications industry, have a role to play.
“There’s a role really for both industry and government to play in that. And I think that’s both in terms of national and local government as well,” he says.
Local authorities are particularly important because of their involvement in planning and approving new infrastructure. National government also needs to provide the right regulatory environment to encourage investment. However, Cray believes the industry cannot be expected to deliver everything through commercial competition alone.
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