Contributed Article

by Miha Ušeničnik, Associate Director at DFG CONSULTING

Telecom automation is moving beyond predefined tasks towards networks that can increasingly analyse conditions, make decisions and act autonomously. Self-configuration for provisioning, closed-loop optimisation, and automated fault recovery promise greater operational efficiency and reliability, while enabling services to be provisioned and adapted with less manual intervention.

The transition is already underway. According to a study by the IBM Institute for Business Value and TM Forum: Navigating autonomous networks, 73% of network executives surveyed said their organisations had developed phased roadmaps towards autonomous operations. Yet only 6% of CSPs reported operating highly autonomous Level 4 network instances. Within three years, 22% expect to reach that level.

What must change to bridge that gap? It starts with data. As a data transformation company, DFG CONSULTING focuses on the quality and trustworthiness of the physical network data that automation depends on.

When the network and its data diverge

Telecom networks have evolved continuously over decades, but the data describing them has not always kept pace. Network extensions, technology changes, mergers and system migrations have left many operators with information distributed across multiple systems and formats.

Critical network information may still reside in CAD or Visio drawings, PDFs, raster images and spreadsheets alongside central inventory systems. While valuable to engineers, this unstructured information cannot readily support automation.

The challenge goes deeper than format. Field changes are not always accurately reflected in the system of record, creating discrepancies between as-planned and as-built networks.

Missing or incorrect connectivity creates further uncertainty. Engineers and field teams may consequently maintain local “shadow documentation” to capture information that is missing, outdated or difficult to retrieve from the system of record.

The problem is therefore often not the absence of data, but whether operators can trust that it accurately represents the physical network and whether it is in the right form for growing network automation and autonomy.

The consequences of inaccurate data

Experienced engineers might still recognise when a network record does not reflect reality and question it before acting. Automated operations do not necessarily have that safeguard because they cannot recognise inaccurate data.

Physical assets do not have intelligence, telemetry, or at least some form of active communication. They cannot report their state. They cannot self-discover. They cannot tell an inventory system where they are, how they’re connected, or whether they were built to design. Automated decisions solely rely on a trustworthy, precise, end-to-end digital representation of all available physical assets.

Incorrect data can lead to an incorrect path calculation, affecting service provisioning or instructions for field teams. Inaccurate connectivity can result in flawed impact analysis and the wrong customers or services being identified during an outage.

Intelligent data migration

Recognising the need for trustworthy data is the easy part — the challenge is quality, scale, efficiency and continuity. Operators may hold hundreds of thousands of legacy files accumulated over decades, while new documentation keeps arriving, often incomplete, inconsistent or conflicting, and daily operations cannot pause while this data is transformed.

The question becomes: how can operators convert, validate, and reconcile network data at scale while updating operational data on the fly?

Physical network documentation is naturally fragmented across distinct views — spatial maps, schematics and splice diagrams — each describing the same elements at a different level of detail. Manually redrawing legacy files into operational support systems is common, but a more effective approach is to use a specialised tool Interactively Assisted Converter™ that extracts data from legacy drawings and structures it in a machine-readable format, ready for direct ingestion into the system of record.

This tool can cross-reference and merge disparate views into a single dataset, with AI adapting to the multiple drawing standards different data providers use. Data conversion is fundamentally a cleaning process: automation extracts, structures, and resolves quality issues for most of the data, while human oversight handles conflicting edge cases — far more reliable than manual redrawing, which is resource-intensive and prone to replicating existing mistakes into the central system of record.

Keeping humans in control

As autonomous systems make decisions at a scale and speed humans cannot replicate, engineers may struggle to understand and independently validate them. Human-readable network connectivity visualisation therefore becomes more important, not less: data transformation gives us machine-operational data, but at the cost of human readability.

The answer isn’t another manually maintained layer of “shadow” documentation. Instead, iNTERACTIVE SCHEMATICS™ can automatically generate high-level and low-level network diagrams directly from the same inventory data used for automation — providing a real-time visual representation from the single source of truth.

Network connectivity visualisation is now evolving from documentation into a control and validation layer between automated systems and engineers, turning trusted digital data into an interactive operational view to support design, planning, troubleshooting, maintenance, and service provisioning.

Trust before autonomy

Autonomous networks are not only about making machines more intelligent. They also require a trustworthy representation of the physical network and the human visibility needed to understand and validate manual and automated decisions.

As network operators move towards higher levels of autonomy, the strategic question is:

Do we have an effective, trustworthy and scalable way to convert, validate, reconcile and visualise the physical network data on which network operations depend?

DFG CONSULTING can help you answer that question.

We can assess a representative sample of your own data to identify quality gaps, transformation opportunities and potential process improvements — and determine what it takes to make your network data trusted and automation-ready.

Contact miha.usenicnik@dfgcon.si to arrange an initial assessment or meet us at Connected Britain 2026 on 9–10 September.

Miha Ušeničnik has spent more than two decades working across telecommunications, technology development and operational transformation.

He has held senior technical and management positions in telecom and technology companies, including responsibility for broadband network development and WiMAX systems, and contributed to national broadband policy as principal author of Slovenia’s Broadband Strategy.

At DFG CONSULTING, his focus is on helping network operators transform complex network data into trusted, structured information that can support more efficient operations, automation and AI.

Press Release

Vodafone Business, the enterprise arm of VodafoneThree, has announced a partnership with Tech Mahindra, a leading global provider of technology consulting and digital solutions to enterprises across industries, reinforcing its commitment to helping organisations across the UK accelerate digital transformation and realise the benefits of emerging technologies.

Building on VodafoneThree’s £11bn investment to create the UK’s best network for business – and provide organisations with the secure, resilient and scalable digital foundations they need to modernise and grow – the agreement establishes a structured model for executive engagement, co-innovation and go-to-market collaboration. It will enable both organisations to identify and develop opportunities where their complementary capabilities can help customers simplify operations, modernise technology environments and deliver measurable business outcomes.

By combining Vodafone Business’ enterprise and digital infrastructure capabilities with Tech Mahindra’s expertise in AI-led technology transformation, systems integration, digital engineering and managed services, the two organisations will develop industry-led propositions for UK customers. The collaboration will leverage AI, automation, private 5G, IoT, cloud and data to modernise operations, strengthen resilience, accelerate digital adoption and unlock new business models.

Tech Mahindra has a strong UK presence, combining local market expertise with global capabilities in AI, digital engineering, cloud and data. Guided by its “AI Delivered Right” strategy, Tech Mahindra helps organisations move AI from experimentation to enterprise-scale adoption and measurable outcomes. Through this partnership with Vodafone Business, both organisations will combine their strengths to help UK businesses modernise operations, strengthen resilience and accelerate AI-led growth.

The agreement supports Vodafone Business’ broader strategy to build a strong ecosystem of specialist partners, giving customers access to the expertise and capabilities they need at each stage of their digital transformation. By bringing together enterprise services, digital infrastructure and technology expertise, Vodafone Business is helping organisations adapt to changing market demands, improve operational performance and drive sustainable growth.

Nick Gliddon, Business Director, VodafoneThree, commented: “This partnership with Tech Mahindra brings together the capabilities organisations need to move faster in a complex digital landscape. By combining Vodafone Business’ connectivity, technology and security expertise with Tech Mahindra’s specialist transformation capabilities, we’re strengthening our partner ecosystem and giving customers access to integrated solutions across cloud, AI, cyber security and digital transformation – helping them cut through complexity, build resilience and become more agile, competitive and future-ready.”

Harshul Asnani, President and Head of Europe Business, Tech Mahindra, said: “Tech Mahindra has a deep heritage in telecommunications and extensive experience helping enterprises modernise complex technology and operating environments. This framework with Vodafone Business brings together our complementary strengths to help UK organisations accelerate AI-led transformation. By combining AI, automation, digital engineering and industry expertise, we will help enterprises modernise networks and operations, build resilient digital ecosystems and unlock measurable business outcomes at scale.”

How is the UK telecoms market changing in the UK? Join the discussion at Connected Britain 2026, the UK’s largest digital economy event

Press Release

Today, Huawei and HP Inc. announced the signing of a multiyear global patent cross-licensing agreement, including license to HP Inc. for certain Huawei WiFi patents. This milestone agreement not only reflects the companies’ cooperation in the field of intellectual property licensing but also recognizes Huawei’s innovation capabilities and core technological strength as well as HP’s position as a global leader in computers and peripheral equipment.

Alan Fan, Huawei’s Chief Intellectual Property Officer, stated, “Huawei is pleased to reach this patent cross-licensing agreement with HP Inc. This agreement is a strong testament to Huawei’s persistent independent innovation in cutting-edge fields in Information and Communications Technology (ICT). Through patent licensing, Huawei shares its innovation with the industry, particularly in the area of standardized technologies, which brings leading technological experiences to consumers worldwide.”

Steven Geiszler, who represented Huawei in the negotiations, stated: “This is another successful licensing of Huawei patents, particularly in the area of standardized Wi-Fi technologies—while obtaining valuable reciprocal patent rights from HP Inc.  I appreciate the professionalism and courteousness shown by HP’s negotiation team during this project.”

“This is a standard-essential patent license covering Wi‑Fi technology – something used broadly across the industry and routine for companies whose products connect to Wi‑Fi. It is not new, does not represent a broader strategic or commercial relationship, partnership, or collaboration with Huawei,” said HP in an emailed statement.

Wi-Fi has become one of the most widely used wireless technologies in the world, connecting homes, schools, hospitals, offices and public spaces. Each generation of the standard is developed openly, drawing on technical contributions from companies across the industry, and is then made broadly available to implementers.

Although lacking the speed and throughput of newer generations, Wi-Fi 4 and 5 are still widely used, providing reliable networking for less demanding applications.

High speed, large capacity and lower energy consumption enable Wi-Fi 6 to deliver multiple high-definition video streaming, gaming and AR/VR services alongside legacy broadband and IoT devices such as laptops, refrigerators, cameras, doorbells, thermostats, and lightbulbs—all with a single wireless router.

Wi-Fi 7, building on Wi-Fi 6, delivers higher throughput, lower latency, and more reliable Wi-Fi connectivity. These enhancements enable an exceptionally smooth experience for 8K video, gaming, AR/VR, remote work, online video conferencing, and cloud computing.

Together, these advances and applications have made reliable wireless connectivity part of the basic infrastructure of everyday life — supporting remote healthcare, digital education, and more energy-efficient homes and workplaces. Huawei has played a significant role in contributing to the development of Wi-Fi technologies over successive generations and makes the resulting technologies available publicly, so that innovation created in one place can benefit users everywhere.

To learn more about patents and licensing, here is Huawei’s Chief Intellectual Property Officer Alan Fan answering common questions on the topic from the internet. 

The clock is ticking for South Africa’s major mobile network operators to fulfil their legal obligation of zero-rating information and services that carry social value. Companies like MTN, Vodacom and Cell C have been given until 15 January 2027 to make the digital content of public benefit organisations (PBOs) data-free for users.

The zero-rating requirement is not a corporate social responsibility initiative; it’s a condition attached to the multi-billion-rand spectrum auction held by Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) in 2022. The expected revenues foregone were factored into the bid prices by the network operators.  But ICASA has yet to indicate how it intends to hold operators accountable.

In a country with unequal access to the internet and high data costs, the zero-rating of digital content is a bridge across the digital divide that could connect people to information for education, social services, healthcare and job seeking.

“Almost every home in South Africa has a mobile phone, but many in poor communities can’t afford the cost of data. This means the tools for stimulating socio-economic change are out of reach for millions of people in a country where barriers to connectivity and access to information and resources are a systemic choke which reinforces inequality,” explains David Harrison, CEO of the DG Murray Trust (DGMT).

“When content that carries social value is zero-rated, new mothers can access trusted information about breastfeeding and nutrition, preschool teachers can tap into support networks and receive training, and young people can be linked to work opportunities,” Harrison adds.

Some mobile network operators, like RAIN have risen to the occasion by zero-rating at least two dozen organisations. However, across the major operators, only fifteen organisations have been zero-rated out of thousands that may be eligible.

“We are deeply concerned that with the deadline just months away, we’ve had no meaningful communication from most mobile network operators, or from ICASA, about how zero-rating will be implemented, regulated and enforced,” says Busisiwe Kabane-Bailey, Innovation Director at DGMT.

PBOs are vetted and waiting to be zero-rated

Zero-rating is not new to mobile network operators: they were required to zero-rate educational and Covid-related health content of websites under the Covid-19 national disaster regulations. In the years before the pandemic, and since, some operators have zero-rated sites of their own accord.

But where this has happened, implementation was uneven: a site that is data-free on one network may not be on another, or may carry different speed and data limitations. And the content itself was selected at each operator’s discretion, with no shared standard to ensure it delivered the greatest possible educational or health benefit.

DGMT began exploring ways to reduce data costs and expand access to public benefit content as early as 2013, long before zero-rating became a licence condition. To streamline implementation, DGMT operates the Social Innovation Register (SIR), which is designed to review PBO applications by verifying their tax-benefit status according to Schedule 9 of the Income Tax Act and confirming they meet the technical requirements for zero-rating.

The SIR acts as a single source of information for PBOs that have been assessed against the eligibility criteria for zero-rating and aims to reduce the need for mobile network providers to evaluate applications independently. While the SIR itself was only launched in 2023, it is the product of more than a decade of work in this area.

“Since going live, the SIR has processed more than 120 applications, demonstrating that much of the infrastructure needed to drive implementation at scale is already in place. What’s missing is engagement,” says Kabane-Bailey.

“The question is not whether operators can do this but why they haven’t. When zero-rating was required under the Covid-19 disaster regulations, networks implemented it,” she adds.

South Africans have long regarded networks as predatory and for years, consumers complained that data was unaffordable, but prices only came down after the Competition Commission confirmed it. Now, MTN and Vodacom are in court against ICASA over data expiry rules. These repeated push-backs and delays only serve to deepen public mistrust.

“Zero-rating offers operators a chance to restore trust and to accelerate socio-economic development, at modest cost, with the systems already built,” Kabane-Bailey explains.

“We are calling on operators to use the existing systems to fast-track zero-rating before the deadline expires, and to urgently publish their implementation plans,” she concludes.

To arrange interviews, please contact DGMT Communications Specialist Corné Kritzinger on 060 679 7964 or send an email to corne@dgmt.co.za.

About us: DGMT is a South African foundation built on endowments from Douglas and Eleanor Murray. As a public innovator through strategic investment, DGMT is committed to developing South Africa’s potential. To this end, DGMT has identified 10 opportunities to escape the inequality trap and build a thriving society. These opportunities span early childhood development, innovation amongst civil society organisations, youth development, preventing nutritional stunting and promoting literacy.

News

Over 9,000 additional premises were passed last month as a direct result of the Gigabit Infrastructure Subsidy (GIS) programme

In a timely update ahead of Connected Britain next month, Building Digital UK (BDUK) has today published an update on the progress of various contracts as part of the £5 billion Project Gigabit broadband rollout initiative.

The data, as of August 17, suggests that 296,770 contracted premises have now been delivered, up from 287,510 in July 2026. This represents around 35% of the 846,770 premises covered by existing contracts.

The government release notes that these figures are meant only as a rough indication of progress, noting that the ‘variable time lag between contract signature/delivery and data ingestion by BDUK’ means they may not be strictly accurate. The reported figures have also been rounded to the nearest 10.

The agency also highlighted that the figures should not be directly compared to those published in BDUK’s annual Delivery Performance report earlier this summer; those results, showing 1.42 million premises passed, refer to premises passed with the support of any public or BDUK-related subsidy, rather than solely the GIS programme.

Backed by £5 billion in public funding, Project Gigabit was first introduced in 2021with the aim of supporting the government’s gigabit-capable broadband targets. Those targets have evolved substantially over the past five years but are now set at 99% of premises passed with gigabit-capable broadband technology by 2032.

The UK currently has gigabit-capable broadband coverage of around 90%, with the 36 current Project Gigabit contracts aimed primarily at supporting rollout to the final 10%.

In short, the programme continues to make steady progress, but the lion’s share of the work remains to be done and will only become more difficult as the target locations become increasingly difficult to reach.

Is the UK doing enough to connect the hardest-to-reach communities? Join the discussion at Connected Britain

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News

The service will ensure that Fast Lane users continue to receive high-quality mobile service even in busy areas like concerts and sporting events

This week, EE has announced the launch of the UK’s first commercial network slicing service for consumers and businesses.

The new service, dubbed Fast Lane, shifts customers to a dedicated virtual slice of EE’s physical 5G+ network. This slice is isolated from other traffic on the network, guaranteeing users a high level of performance even when the wider network is heavily congested.

The feature is ‘designed for use in high-footfall moments of the day like rush hour and major events’, according to the company press release, will be useful for both consumers and enterprise customers operating in busy environments.

The launch follows multiple real-world trials of 5G+ network slicing in the last two years, which has included major public events like , Belfast Christmas Market, Sail GP in Portsmouth, ad this year’s BAFTAs.

“Powered by our advanced 5G+ network, Fast Lane gives our customers access to a dedicated 5G+ lane at the busiest times. Whether they’re live streaming a special moment from a sell-out gig or processing mobile payments and ticketing at a festival, Fast Lane helps keep customers connected even when thousands of people around them are trying to connect at the same time,” said Claire Gillies, CEO of BT’s Consumer Division. “This innovation builds on years of investment in EE’s 5G+ network and real-world network slicing trials, marking another milestone for the UK’s best network.”

EE is offering the Fast Lane feature as a part of its new ‘Full Works Plus’ package, costing £5 more per month than its existing ‘Full Works’ plan (£48 and £43, respectively).

Users will require a 5G+ compatible handset and access to EE’s 5G+ network to make use of the service.

EE’s 5G+ network currently covers around 78% of the UK population, with the operator targeting 99% population coverage by March 2030.

Join EE and the rest of the UK’s digital economy at Connected Britain 2026

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Press Release

Around 100 entrepreneurs and organisations across the Highlands and Islands are expected to benefit from a new digital and technology support programme launched today (Thursday 20 August).

The one-year Digital and Technology Entrepreneurship (DaTE) programme will support start-ups and small organisations to develop new digital and technology products, processes and services. Participants will receive expert advice, mentoring and funding through the programme, which is led by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and delivered in collaboration with BT, helping to drive innovation, business growth and job creation across the region.

Tailored support will help turn innovative ideas into commercial opportunities, strengthen entrepreneurial skills and accelerate the growth of digital and technology-led organisations across the region.

While Highlands and Islands businesses and social enterprises are recognised for innovation, many in rural and island locations can face challenges accessing specialist expertise, investment and technical support.

The new HIE programme has been designed to help overcome these barriers through a mix of events, mentoring, networking opportunities and grant funding.

The support includes entrepreneurial mentoring and advice, grant funding for digital and technology projects and Kickstart grants.

The programme will build skills, confidence and innovation capacity, strengthen the pipeline of emerging digital and technology businesses in the region, and create new opportunities for growth and jobs.

The initiative forms part of BT’s purpose to Connect for Good and its commitment to helping communities develop the skills and confidence they need to thrive in a digital world. It sits alongside the rollout of new gigabit-capable broadband delivered by Openreach as part of Project Gigabit, the government’s programme to bring fast, reliable broadband to hard-to-reach areas.

HIE’s team leader for digital economy Theresa Swayne said:  

“Digital and technology business founders, and creators of new tech ideas and products, have a vital role to play in the future prosperity of the Highlands and Islands economy. We want to ensure that great ideas can flourish wherever they emerge, from our towns to our most rural and island locations.

“This programme will give entrepreneurs access to the skills, expertise and funding they need to innovate, grow and bring new products and services to market. We’re delighted to be working with BT to help unlock the region’s entrepreneurial potential.”

Richard Marsh, BT Responsible Business Director added: 

“Digital technology is creating new opportunities for people and businesses across the UK, but talent and ambition exist in every community, not just our largest cities. As we continue to invest in the connectivity that underpins modern life, we’re also committed to helping people and businesses make the most of the opportunities that technology creates.

“This programme will help entrepreneurs across the Highlands and Islands access the skills, networks and support they need to grow. Through BT’s ambition to support 30 million people, businesses and families with digital skills, tools and support by 2030, we’re helping ensure that the benefits of technology and economic growth can be felt in every postcode of the UK.”

Economy Secretary Stephen Flynn said:

“Geography should never be a barrier to turning ideas and invention into economic success. Scotland’s future prosperity depends on us unlocking innovation in every part of the country and The Highlands and Islands has entrepreneurial talent and ambition in abundance.

“By supporting entrepreneurs to develop new products, attract investment and build businesses rooted in their communities, this programme is an important step in unlocking even more of the region’s economic potential.”

To support the rollout of the programme, HIE is collaborating with Techscaler, a Scottish Government initiative delivered by CodeBase, to deliver a series of regional events across the Highlands and Islands.

The joint roadshow series will raise awareness of the funding and specialist advice available through the HIE Digital and Technology Entrepreneurship programme, while connecting local entrepreneurs with Techscaler’s national network of founder education, mentorship, investor connectivity and peer support.

For more information on the DaTE programme, eligibility and to apply please visit:

For more information about digital support for your business please visit Digital support | HIE.

Join BT and the UK’s biggest digital leaders at Connected Britain 2026

Contributed Article

“Subscribers don’t live in labs”: Linksys’ Signal Studio takes Wi-Fi testing into the home

As the smart home continues to evolve, service providers face growing pressure to deliver consistently high-quality in-home connectivity. With more connected devices, higher broadband speeds and increasing customer expectations, validating Wi-Fi performance before deployment has never been more important.

For most of the industry, this testing takes place in a laboratory with predictable interference and ideal device positioning. While this is great for understanding the theoretical limits of the equipment, it is usually a far cry from what the average consumer experiences. Real-world Wi-Fi usage is far more complex, being impacted by the unique layout of the house, the many varied competing devices and users, and differing levels of interference.

It is this complexity that Linksys is attempting to address with its Signal Studio, a dedicated real-world Wi-Fi and broadband testing facility in Reading.

A real home connectivity environment

Rather than treating a customer’s home as an abstract test case, Linksys’ Signal Studio recreates realistic residential environments so operators can study the lived experience of their customers. This includes the creation of bedrooms, kitchens, living rooms, and home offices, all filled with typical furniture and devices one would expect from a real home.

The studio is even equipped with configurable wall structures that can be repositioned to simulate the construction characteristics of both modern-build properties and older homes, allowing Linksys and its partners to better understand how different building materials affect wireless performance.

“The Linksys Signal Studio represents the next step in Linksys’ evolution as an innovation partner for service providers,” said Canus Augustus, ISP Sales Director for Linksys. “It is much more than a demonstration facility – it is a collaborative environment where we work alongside our ISP partners to validate new technologies, optimise deployments, and understand how networks perform in real homes.”

Since the Studio’s opening in December 2025, multiple ISP partners have already used the facility for real-world validation, identifying coverage issues, optimising mesh placement and exploring how best to support customer self-installation. The Studio has also hosted collaborative sessions involving a London-based ISP customer and an independent industry regulator, demonstrating its value as a neutral environment for collaboration and innovation.

“Signal Studio was designed to be a collaborative space where our customers can work alongside us. Whether that’s validating a deployment, exploring a new technology, filming product content or simply meeting together, we’ve created an environment that feels much closer to the homes their subscribers actually live in,” said Jessica Peck, Linksys’ Product Marketing Director.

Indeed, this openness was a major factor in selecting Reading as the Studio’s location. Easily accessible from London, Heathrow Airport, and the M4 corridor, the studio is well positioned to welcome customers from across the UK and Europe.

Connecting Britain one room at a time

At a time when the fibre broadband industry is increasingly looking to drive take-up and reduce churn, optimising in-home connectivity has never been more important. With Wi-Fi 7 and mesh technology now maturing, ensuring high quality connectivity throughout every room of the home must no longer be a matter of best effort, but of assurance. As such, the future of Wi-Fi testing must start where customers actually use it: at home.

“For too long, the industry has relied on laboratory testing to predict customer experience, but subscribers don’t live in labs. They live in busy homes filled with connected devices, competing demands on the network and constantly changing environments,” said Canus. “Linksys Signal Studio allows us to validate performance in conditions that genuinely reflect how people use WiFi every day. That collaboration helps operators deploy with greater confidence, optimise the customer experience, and ultimately reduce support issues post install.”

Find out more about our Signal Studio at Connected Britain on Stand F20. Meet the Linksys team to discuss the connectivity challenges subscribers are facing and explore how collaborative testing can help deliver better WiFi experiences.

Not registered yet? Linksys has a limited number of all-access guest passes available. Get in touch to secure yours.

News

The system will automatically redirect non-emergency calls to the correct agency, freeing up crucial time for handling crime

According to the Home Office, the non-emergency police 101 service receives around 20 million calls per year, roughly 20% (4 million) of which are in fact intended for other services, like local councils.

Now, a new AI software is being introduced to assess calls and redirect callers to relevant services without needing to connect them to a call handler. This means erroneous callers can quickly be removed from the system, easing the workload for the call hander, reducing queuing times, and reducing wasted time for the callers.

In addition to removing calls made error, the system will also include deliberate nuisance calls, which have historically included novelty complaints about delayed pizza deliveries and slow service at the local pub. Indeed, even during a pilot of the new AI service, the system reportedly screened out calls attempting to report a missing umbrella and asking the local police to give them a lift.

By making the 101 system more efficient, the new AI service is expected to save policing up to £8.5 million each year.

“Police call handlers are wasting hours fielding calls meant for other organisations. Every minute spent on these calls is time taken away from helping people who genuinely need their support,” said Crime and Policing Minister, Sarah Jones. “AI is already helping police catch dangerous criminals and speed up investigations. Now, it will help bring control rooms into the 21st century, freeing up time and unlocking millions of pounds. Forces can reinvest those savings into tackling the crime on our streets.”

The AI service was co-developed by Home Office and National Police Chiefs’ Council in partnership with delivery partner Vodafone Business, backed by £1.4 million in government investment.

It forms part of more widespread police reform initiatives, which are investing £16.5 million to modernise how the police and public interact. Alongside the new 101 triage system, this will include AI that transcribes 999 and 101 calls, and links crime reports to identify patterns in demand.

Is AI being used effectively to optimise public services? Join the discussion at Connected Britain 2026, the UK’s largest digital economy event

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