Anyone who spends any time at industry events will immediately recognise the gender imbalance in the telecoms sector – where are girls?

There doesn’t appear to be any technical reason for testosterone to be a mandatory requirement and the 4th utility that results is surely as relevant and suited to the fairer sex, so why the disparity?

It is all too easy to become focused on the technology and politics of telecoms delivery and to forget that what telecoms actually is.

An utility service that benefits all people.

The telecoms sector, like its close cousin Information Technology, is both historically and arguably currently over-represented by the male of the species and under-represented by the female.

Hence, it is helpful and salutary for the former to listen to the latter

Having had a serious b*****ing of late by certain women for whom this male author has the greatest of respect, with due contrition, let us consider what actually matters.

Namely that the 4th Utility we all want to see delivered for the UK will only be successfully built if it takes into account the needs and wants of all of us.

And in order to deliver, we as a Big Society, must learn to work together, regardless of our personal agendas, friends and foes and above all Dangly Bits

In no particular order, and by no means an exhaustive list, thanks to the following females for inspiring this post by what you do:

Helen Anderson

Libby Bateman

Val Smith

Chris Conder

Lindsey Annison

Fiona White

Imelda Havers

Jenny Wilkinson

Lillian Sizeland

Sally Bowman

Ruth Brown

First up, a 9 minute overview

Some early arrivals meet and greet – [20 Seconds]

More Convergence Conversations – [19 Seconds]

People Create Change – [25 Seconds]

NGA will be a Patchwork of diversely different and equally valid networks – [64 Seconds]

Funding Brickwall – [33 Seconds]

The Community Perspective – [153 Seconds]

Structural Separation of FttH Natural Monopoly – [239 Seconds]

Colloquium in Full Flow – [228 Seconds]

Great Thornton Street Estate Hull – a Case Study – [108 Seconds]

More videos to follow once uploads to Youtube completed – oh for symmetric NGA hey!

Full version of BSG COTS meeting courtesy Hull City Council here – [2 Hours]

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