ACT NOW! 2026

Funded by UK Government in partnership with UKTCG as part of the Regional Tech Booster programme supported by DSIT.

Funded by UK Government in partnership with UKTCG as part of the Regional Tech Booster programme supported by DSIT.

ACT Now! 2026 is a flagship conference for Advanced Connectivity Technologies (ACT) – the critical digital infrastructure powering AI, Quantum and Cyber in the next industrial era.

Formally recognised as a UK Government Frontier Technology within the Modern Industrial Strategy, ACT sits at the centre of national competitiveness, security and economic growth. This conference brings together senior leaders from government, telecoms, AI, quantum research, cyber security, defence, investment and enterprise technology to explore one defining question:

If AI, Quantum and Cyber are transforming the world – what must connectivity become to support them?

Delivered by Tech East as part of the Regional Tech Booster Catalyst Pilot programme, ACT Now! highlights the East of England at the centre of the UK’s connectivity future.

Featured Speakers

Dr Diana A. Vasile
Dr Diana A. Vasile, CTO of Ethicronics, specialises in AI, cyber resilience and hardware assurance, translating frontier research into secure next-generation infrastructure.

Dr Mike Short CBE
Dr Mike Short CBE is Chairman of UK Telecomms Labs and AWTG, with 40+ years leading telecoms, quantum and future network innovation in the UK.

Abhi Naha
Abhi Naha is CCO of Core Cognitics and Founder of Scale Lab Ventures, specialising in scaling AI, quantum and deep-tech innovation ecosystems.

Dave Happy

Dave Happy MBE, Managing Director of Telint Ltd, is a telecommunications leader with 39 years’ experience across Motorola, NTL/Virgin Media and Samsung. He specialises in advanced connectivity, spectrum and secure network infrastructure.

The Convergence Moment: ACT x AI x Quantum x Cyber

Advanced Connectivity Technologies are no longer just networks. They are programmable, intelligent, software-defined, automated systems that:

• Enable distributed AI training and inference at scale

• Provide ultra-secure infrastructure for cyber-resilient operations

• Prepare the backbone for quantum-safe and quantum-enabled communications

• Orchestrate autonomous industrial, energy and logistics ecosystems

AI without high-performance, resilient networks cannot scale.Quantum innovation without advanced connectivity cannot integrate. Cyber security without intelligent network infrastructure cannot defend at speed.

ACT is the enabling layer that turns breakthrough technologies into deployed capability.

The UK telecoms sector contributes over £30bn annually in GVA. The cyber sector generates more than £10bn in revenue. AI is forecast to add up to £500bn+ to the UK economy by 2035, while quantum technologies are projected to generate £1–3bn in economic value in the early 2030s. ACT is the connective tissue linking these sectors into a coherent national capability.

ACT Now 2026 focuses on this convergence – strategically, technically and commercially.

Why Suffolk? Why Now?

Suffolk is not just a host location – it is a national connectivity asset. Home to BT’s Adastral Park and Innovation Martlesham, Suffolk anchors UK telecoms R&D and future network experimentation. With strengths in ports and logistics, agritech and clean energy, the region provides real-world environments where next-generation connectivity meets industrial deployment.

From automated maritime logistics at the UK’s largest container port to precision agriculture and smart energy infrastructure, Suffolk demonstrates how ACT underpins resilient national infrastructure.

Adastral Park: The UK’s Connectivity Engine

For over 50 years, BT’s Adastral Park has shaped the evolution of UK telecommunications. Today it hosts 2,500 professionals and 100 technology organisations working across:

• 5G, 6G and software-defined networking

• AI-driven network automation

• Quantum experimentation and secure communications

• Satellite communications

• IoT and cyber-resilient infrastructure

It is here that the future architecture of UK connectivity is being built.

Conference Highlights

• Keynote: What is ACT, today? The strategic story of how ACT has evolved from

Future Telecoms to sit at the heart of national competitiveness.

• Panel and Q&A: Panel and Q&A: ACT – The future of Future Telecoms:

Demystifying ACT.

• ACT – Technology. Lightning talks and Q&A. An introduction to three key ACT

technologies.

• Lunch and networking

• Industry Adoption Panels:

• Smarter Logistics & Maritime

• Resilient Agri-Food Systems• Future directions and convergence. Presentations or panels and Q&A on how

ACT supports critical technologies: AI x Cyber x Photonics.

• Networking Reception

Conference Objectives

• Explore deep convergence between connectivity, AI, Cyber and Quantum

• Showcase industrial deployment of advanced networks

• Build cross-sector collaboration across government, industry and academia

• Shine a light on ACT strategy and policy

• Highlight the East of England as a leader in next-generation connectivity

ACT Now! 2026

Connectivity is no longer just infrastructure.

It is intelligence.

It is security.

It is economic power.

Join industry leaders shaping the future of UK Advanced Connectivity Technologies.