An introduction to the Tech Fellowship’s ‘Technical Squads’

At BT Group, our ambition is to connect for good. We’re committed to ensuring that the networks we provide, and the essential services they enable, are accessed and utilised as widely as possible across the UK, while at the same time we aim to deliver these networks and services through responsible, inclusive and sustainable technology.

The work undertaken by members of our Tech Fellowship, via its Technical Squads, plays an important role not only in exploring how BT Group can achieve this ambition in relation to the build and management of our own networks, but equally in helping to engage the wider industry to ensure that we are collaborating and sharing knowledge to benefit the broader telecoms ecosystem, both in the UK and beyond.

So, let’s take a whistlestop tour of the different Technical Squads and some of the work taking place across them.

Energy Savings Across Networks:

The Energy Squad exists to help reduce energy usage across networks, in turn supporting BT Group’s wider goal to achieve net zero carbon emissions in its operations by the end of March 2031. With our networks being responsible for around 89 per cent of all of BT Group’s energy consumption, it’s no surprise that this team works collaboratively both with other Technical Squads and across the business in order to generate and develop new ideas.

Recently this included working with the Cloud Scaling Squad on a whitepaper discussing the need for equipment to adapt its power consumption to traffic demand. The squad is also working to identify causes of excess energy use in BT’s exchanges, with one outcome being the development of an AI/ML model to try to understand the impact of electrical heating in our exchange buildings.

Security:

The Security Squad focuses on developing and enhancing technical security skills within the Tech Fellowship, actively engaging with stakeholders to elevate BT Group's security leadership.

Through collaboration with security teams and proactive outreach to Security Champions (passionate advocates who promote both technological and physical security across the organisation) the Security Squad’s role in sharing knowledge helps to strengthen security across BT Group’s lines of business.

The Squad also contributes to the wider security community, influencing industry best practices.

Applying Cloud Scaling to Networks:

As consumption of mobile and fixed services continues to rise, it’s imperative from both a sustainability and operational perspective that networks transition from their traditionally static build to a dynamic state with the ability to scale up and down with demand. Cloud technologies are central to achieving this, which is a fundamental focus area of this squad.

The aforementioned whitepaper, co-authored with the energy saving squad, has been useful in engaging with equipment vendors and other external bodies to further drive industry thinking around how to achieve more efficient networks over the next five or so years.  This exemplifies the work of the Tech Fellowship in driving BT’s wider thinking and influencing vendor roadmaps and industry capability.

Artificial Intelligence:

AI already plays a crucial role in BT Group's network planning, monitoring, and optimisation, as well as in helping us to optimise our software engineering and security operations. It’s a technology with huge potential to enhance the way we work, and our AI squad supports this by looking at how we can further leverage the technology to solve complex network issues, streamline operations, minimise our environmental impact, and deliver reliable network services to our customers – starting with the business challenge itself rather than fitting AI to predefined issues.

The team works closely with BT Digital as well as our hyperscaler partners like AWS and IBM, organising hands-on workshops which serve as opportunities to test ideas within our partner ecosystem, deepening collaboration and breaking down silos within the business.

Internet of Things:

As we continue to enhance our networks, they become increasingly adept at supporting emerging technologies, including the Internet of Things (IoT). The IoT squad focuses on enhancing skills in this key growth area by combining knowledge sharing with practical IoT sandbox opportunities. Their goal is to identify and drive simplification opportunities for IoT adoption across our networks.

The squad has conducted numerous introductory sessions on IoT protocols, ecosystems, and customer solutions for both fixed and mobile deployments. These sessions include hands-on guidance on building devices and analysing the data they generate. Additionally, the squad helps identify monetisation opportunities within mature and new IoT ecosystems, ensuring we stay at the forefront of IoT advancements.

Summary

The Tech Fellowship's Technical Squads are vital to BT Group's innovation and operational excellence. By fostering collaboration, sharing knowledge, and driving technological advancements, these squads not only enhance BT Group's capabilities but also empower its employees with cutting-edge skills. Their work extends beyond the company, influencing industry standards and contributing to the broader telecoms ecosystem. Through their efforts, BT Group remains at the forefront of technological progress, ensuring sustainable and inclusive connectivity for all.