Speakers
Dr Mike Short CBE, Chief Architect, Satellite Applications Catapult
Convergence has already started with Applications, International Roaming and Positioning / Navigation and Timing (PNT) and these will all continue to evolve with technology and new satellite-based solutions. The interest in Satellite backhaul for Mobile networks is growing with greater needs of reach and resilience. The new market of Direct to device is showing a lot of interest, for existing and new devices. And we have so much to learn from how the earth can be viewed from Space whether Weather, Net Zero, Shipping, Environmental change or wider Earth Observation. And NTN based convergence will need to build on all this well before 6G.
Dr Mike Short leads a portfolio career in research & innovation including Chief Architect at the Satellite Applications Catapult. He examines new coverage approaches with converged Mobile/Satellite services and supports the adoption of new technologies including AI and Quantum. He chairs advisory boards for both the UK Telecomms Labs (NPL) and the UK Telecomms Innovation Network, and is a Visiting Professor at the University of Surrey and UCL. Mike was appointed Chief Scientific Adviser for DIT (now DBT) in 2017, where he led technical aspects of the department and worked on UK engineering exports and inward investment. He represented DIT on HMG committees for Telecomms, Space, Health and Quantum, and led overseas delegations to international trade events such as MWC Barcelona and CES Las Vegas. He was an active member of GoScience as a CSA, and Board member at Innovate UK (part of UKRI). His 30-year tenure at Cellnet/O2 UK/Telefonica Group included launching 2G (GSM) and 3G mobile technologies, winning mobile licenses overseas, and later led international research and standards (including 4G / 5G) for Telefonica. He also ran trials for Mobile TV, Smart metering, Driverless cars, Digital Health, and IoT, and managed the company EU office in Brussels. Mike is a former Chairman of the international GSM Association, the UK Mobile Data Association, EM3 LEP , and was President of the Institution of Engineering and Technology in 2011/ 2012. Board roles have also included ETSI, Innovate UK, UK 5G, Phonepayplus, and Trustee of the Archives of IT.