ACT Now 2026: UK leaders explore advanced connectivity powering AI, Quantum & Cyber innovation at BT Adastral Park.
📅 March 2026
📍 BT Adastral Park, Suffolk
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.
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 nearly 50 years, BT’s Adastral Park has shaped the evolution of UK telecommunications. Today it hosts 4,000+ professionals and 150+ 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.
ACT Now 2026: UK leaders explore advanced connectivity powering AI, Quantum & Cyber innovation at BT Adastral Park.
📅 March 2026
📍 BT Adastral Park, Suffolk
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.
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 nearly 50 years, BT’s Adastral Park has shaped the evolution of UK telecommunications. Today it hosts 4,000+ professionals and 150+ 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.
Good to know
Highlights
- 7 hours
- In person
Location
Adastral Park
Barrack Square
Martlesham IP5 3RE
How do you want to get there?
