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Ian Smith

Programme Director, 5G Testbeds and Trials Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Ian is the Programme Director for the UK Government’s 5G Testbeds and Trials Programme, which will deliver the Government’s ambition to be a world leader in 5G. The interventions from the Programme support both industry and academia. And local authorities realize the benefits of high-speed networks and create new commercial opportunities.

To date, the Programme under Ian’s leadership has initiated 34 projects from five competitions. They cover 14 different sectors, including agritech, healthcare, manufacturing, creative industries, and public services.

Ian has over 20 years of experience in the telecom industry with a wide range of experience in designing, building, and operating both fixed and mobile networks. He has worked for both operators and vendors from EE to T-Mobile and One2One.

Ian joined UK’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport from Ericsson, where he was the Head of the UK Design, Plan, and Deployment team delivering services and infrastructure for all the UK Operators.

Ian is a keen rugby fan and ex-player and a big motorsport enthusiast who has built his own sports car.