Digital Connectivity
Exploring new technologies to deliver better digital connectivity to stimulate economic growth, social inclusion and reduce carbon emissions
Scotland’s digital vision is clear: to build a nation where digital communications connects people to communities, creates economic growth and delivers improved public services.
For more than 14 years our Digital Connectivity team has been at the heart of this mission, working closely with Scottish Government colleagues and industry partners to improve connectivity across the country. From early broadband interventions to today’s advanced wireless programmes, our role has been consistent: to bridge the gap between policy ambition and real-world delivery.
Our work spans nationally significant programmes such as the Scottish 4G Infill (S4GI) programme, which has delivered mobile coverage to some of Scotland’s most rural communities, and establishing the Scotland 5G Centre, helping to accelerate the adoption and application of next-generation wireless technologies.
Today, our focus is on shaping the future of Scotland’s mobile and advanced wireless ecosystem through practical trials, evidence building, and place-based delivery.
Infralink is a programme that the Digital Connectivity team developed and leads on and is based upon the known tensions and challenges that exist between the public sector and the mobile industry.
It has developed best practice guidance that is sustainable and can be applied nationally to drive a wellbeing economy through better mobile connectivity.
The team uses its industry and technical knowledge to develop programmes the market will respond to and will have a clear impact on communities and future investment plans.
Helping local authorities improve their digital connectivity by better engagement with the mobile industry, the team has updated its Infralink-Exchange Playbook.
The Infralink-Exchange Playbook is a ‘how-to’ guide allowing public sector bodies to begin a project that improves mobile connectivity through commercial and GIS-based transformation. This best practice guide including case studies, templates and points to note, is a key output from the Scotland 5G Centre and DCMS investment in the Infralink programme.
Advanced Wireless Infrastructure (spectrum-based wireless communications infrastructure) takes telecoms beyond the fixed and non-fixed dichotomy to look at how we use new spectrum, technology and even parts of the earth’s atmosphere to blur this divide to give new options for serving the needs of the user wherever they maybe.
Building on from the UK Government’s Wireless Infrastructure Strategy, SFT is supporting the Scottish Government by exploring and developing options for extending advanced wireless connectivity across Scotland that facilitates sustainable and inclusive outcomes and optimises existing investment/ committed funding.
Our team
Warren Adkins
Senior Associate Director
Warren is a Telecommunications professional, who has 28 years' experience of working in telecommunications, encompassing delivery, programme management, technical and strategy leadership.
Most recently he was part of the Mova shared rural network team that were responsible for supporting the mobile operators deliver the publicly funded element of the programme. Previously at SFT, he was responsible for the set up and initiation of the Scottish 4G Infill programme.
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Chris Hudson
Associate Director
Chris was part of the leadership team that built the EE 4G and 5G network - achieving Rootmetrics “Best network” award eight years in a row.
He has proven expertise in stakeholder management, programme management, business development and building and leading high performing teams whilst delivering excellence in client service.
Prior to that he was Head of Transmission at Nokia responsible for delivering the infrastructure for EE and H3G's rural 4G programs.
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