Our Role
The Digital Connectivity Forum (DCF) is the UK Government’s primary advisory group on the provision of seamless digital connectivity.
Our goal is seamless digital connectivity, empowering positive societal change and economic growth across the UK.
We are an expert advisory forum for the entire digital connectivity sector. Through collaboration, evidence-building and research, we make recommendations to Government, regulators and industry.
The DCF was first established in 2001 as the Broadband Stakeholder Group (BSG). Today, our diverse network includes telecoms operators, equipment manufacturers, ISPs, mobile network operators, content producers, broadcasters, business groupings, central and local government, the devolved administrations, Ofcom and others.
The DCF is based in the offices of techUK, the trade association for the UK’s technology sector.
We bring together the digital connectivity value chain in an expert forum.
Our Sponsors
Together these companies make up the DCF Executive, a committee that meets every six weeks and sets the overall direction for the work of the DCF. They are joined on the Executive by:
Our Chair
Stephanie Liston
International Strategic Advisor, Board Director, Lawyer and Regulator
Stephanie Liston became Chair of DCF in March 2021. She specialises in providing international strategic, legal and regulatory advice in relation to a variety of types of projects and commercial transactions across multiple jurisdictions and industry sectors.
As a dual American and British citizen who has lived and worked in the US, UK and British Virgin Islands, Stephanie has extensive knowledge and experience of international and emerging markets.
Stephanie is an acknowledged international expert in a wide range of technologies and has been a leading partner in the most respected communications law firms. She has significant experience in helping businesses navigate their marketing and communications strategies to address the broadest and most valuable markets.
She served as an Independent Member of the BT Equality of Access Board from 2013 to 2018, as Chief Legal Advisor to the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission in the British Virgin Islands from 2015 to 2017, as a non-executive Director of Ofcom and as a member of its Audit Committee from 2005 to 2008, an advisory board member of Orga Systems GmbH from 2010 to 2014, a Director of the European Competitive Telecommunications Association from 2000 to 2005, and co-Chairman of the Communications Committee of the International Bar Association from 2004-2006.
Currently, Stephanie is also Non-executive Chair of the Jersey Competition Regulatory Authority (with responsibility for general competition regulation as well as sector responsibility for Air and Sea Ports, Postal Services and Telecommunications); Senior Advisor to Frontier Economics; Chief Executive Officer of Sequoia Way Limited; Associate Director of Innovation Advisors; and Founder of Women in Telecoms and Technology.
Our Team
Alex Mather
Head of Digital Connectivity Forum
Alex joined as Head of the DCF in March 2022. Before that he worked at a public affairs consultancy across the telecoms and wider tech space and led the secretariat of the UK’s Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) trade association, Comms Council UK. He has a BA in History and Politics from the University of Nottingham.
Our Location
For Digital Connectivity Forum enquiries, please contact:
Alex Mather, Head of Digital Connectivity Forum
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +44 20 7331 2000
Digital Connectivity Forum
c/o techUK
10 St Bride Street, London EC4A 4AD
