5 minutes with Pritesh: My thoughts on the future of telecomms infrastructure

CREATED BY PRITESH GANATRA Published: 02/03/2026 @ 09:00AM #Telecoms #TechMarkets #PCs #PhoneSystems #BTFieldEngineer

I have been involved in many aspects of the telecoms and tech markets for the past 36 years, from selling the first PCs using Intel 286 chips in the early 90s, to supplying high-end phone systems and becoming a fully qualified Telecoms Field Engineer for BT. I've certainly been riding the crest of a wave ...

A long and storied career, Paved with memories dear, Now rests in the past

Since 2003, I have worked as an industry technical advisor to both SME and corporate clients and continue to do so in 2026.Milestone achievements include, as a BT engineer in the late 90's, being granted fullclearance by the MoD and allocated to work on a military base occupied by the US Air Force, and more recently, being accepted as a Fellow and an interim skills coach for apprentices at The ITP.

From fixed-line, wireless, and mobile in the telecoms
industry, we've all seen profound changes!

Once separate, these distinct technologies have gradually evolved and merged due to the increasing demand of one pivotal factor - the internet. My main interest now is in sustainability and business continuity in the mobile arena.

Although the Internet has been commercially available since the late 90's, accessed originally via fixed line dial-up and a modem and then the first broadband services around 2000, giving an always-on connection, the mobile networks had some limited capability through selected devices.

In 2007, a game-changer arrived when Apple released the first iPhone. Using 3G, it focused on being a data-driven device filled with apps; it was as if the phone part was an afterthought. Fast forward to 4G, which was first launched in the UK around 2012, and we all know that's when the increase in smartphone usage and permanently being connected to the internet in our pocket became a reality.

Where do we go from here?

And what does the industry need to do to keep up with consumer and business demand? We are in the throes of upgrading to 5G and already bench testing 6g, so having a focused and strong approach on reusing, repurposing and recycling existing infrastructure needs to be considered as part of the process.

With 3G being decommissioned, and 4G being upgraded, can we recover and re-engineer the components to minimise the waste products that will ultimately be generated through a natural process?

In addition to these, there will naturally be an increase in the demand for power, and ultimately, we also need to consider the nation's business continuity plans for all networks in a national emergency scenario.

Planning for the future growth of the telecoms infrastructure and utility power, and the requirements to implement and perform periodic disaster recovery to test back-up capabilities, is all part of keeping our industry both sustainable and resilient at the same time.

How can we create an infrastructure that has
preventative maintenance built in?

In my personal opinion, using the Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence to monitor the infrastructure will be a major factor in flagging up hardware issues. Engineers can be deployed well in advance to rectify minor faults more quickly, in order to service equipment before it gets to a point of complete failure.

Afterall, filling small potholes in a road is better than having to resurface the whole street after the cracks break the foundations.

So, to wrap up my first '5 minutes with', my hopes are that we can make solid plans in how we tackle environmental issues while keeping our networks maintained and ready in case of both power outages and also, in the event of any national emergencies.

I do think about these things every day and how to recruit more people into the industry to cater for the growing demands.

There's certainly a lot to think about.

Until next time ...

PRITESH GANATRA
Your technology problem solver

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About Pritesh Ganatra ...
The word 'Technology' has too many connotations in today's world! Where do we start? Simple terms like 'IT' and 'Telecoms'? or terms that appear NOT to have an actual meaning at all!, e.g. 'Internet of Things (IoT). Technology also encompasses specialist products and services like 'Rugged' and 'Tough' android devices, Lone Worker Software, panic alarm devices, smart energy devices, low energy lighting, credit card terminal (PCI DSS) security, indoor/ outdoor Wi-Fi systems, Ultrafast Gigabit internet connectivity, access control systems, industrial IoT circuit controllers. BTS UK can consult from simple solutions to the most complex, provide some of the products through a wholesale channel, bring together a multi-disciplined 'Task Force' to deliver and implement complete Technology 'projects'. I am your technology problem solver and I look forward to helping you.

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