On 26 February 2024, in Barcelona, GSMA MWC Barcelona 2024 reconvened at the Fira de Barcelona, signalling the start of the largest and most influential event in the connectivity sector. The GSMA hosts MWC Barcelona, bringing together leaders from the global mobile ecosystem and related industries for four days of networking, new business opportunities, and discussions on the latest trends that are shaping the future of connectivity.
Mats Granryd, Director General of the GSMA, commented: “It is wonderful to join you at the start of MWC in the stunning city of Barcelona! With over half of our attendees originating from outside the core mobile ecosystem, MWC now transcends a single industry. As connectivity unites us, technology opens new avenues – with connectivity fostering a blend of technology and purpose across all sectors, unlocking new opportunities. This week is dedicated to uncovering the future’s potential for businesses and society.”
Main Stage Highlights at MWC Barcelona MWC Barcelona is delighted to welcome some of the most esteemed names in connectivity as keynote speakers, including prominent figures from business, government, academia, and NGOs.
Day 1 at the MWC Main Stage featured an exclusive assembly of CEOs from Europe’s leading mobile operators – Tim Höttges of Deutsche Telekom; Christel Heydemann of Orange; José María Álvarez-Pallete of Telefónica; and Margherita Della Valle of Vodafone Group. The keynote delved into the current state of the mobile industry in Europe, the need for policy reform to facilitate infrastructure investments, the shift to green energy, and the importance of encouraging industry-wide collaborations like the GSMA Open Gateway.
José María Álvarez-Pallete, Chairman of the GSMA Board and Chairman & CEO of Telefónica, stated: “In April this year, we commemorate 100 years of Telefónica bridging people through connectivity. As Telefónica has evolved, so has our industry, now benefiting every business and individual globally. At MWC Barcelona 2024, you will witness how collaboration and connected innovations are driving positive societal change, paving the way to realise the future’s potential over the next century.”
GSMA Open Gateway: Unleashing 5G’s Potential The GSMA highlighted the industry’s progress and its partners in maximising 5G’s potential and commercialising network APIs through the GSMA Open Gateway initiative. Launched at MWC Barcelona 2023, the Open Gateway aims to spur the growth of digital services and apps by offering developers universal access to operator networks. In the past year, 47 mobile operator groups – representing 239 mobile networks and covering 65% of global connections – have joined the initiative.
In collaboration with technology partners like AWS, Infobip, Microsoft, Nokia, and Vonage, a total of 94 APIs are now commercially available to enterprise developers in 21 markets across Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas, focusing on areas such as fraud prevention and identity verification.
Mobile Economy Report 2024 To coincide with the opening of MWC Barcelona, the GSMA released its annual Mobile Economy Report, highlighting the latest trends in the global mobile ecosystem and identifying investment areas to expand mobile access and enhance service quality. Key findings include:
- 5G is expected to represent over half (51%) of total mobile connections by 2029, achieving 56% adoption by the decade’s end.
- As of the end of 2023, 58% of the global population used mobile internet, equating to 4.7 billion users, an increase of 2.1 billion since 2015.
- 3 billion individuals are not using mobile internet despite residing in areas with mobile broadband coverage (‘Usage Gap’), underscoring the need to address adoption barriers, such as handset affordability and literacy/digital skills, highlighted in the GSMA’s ‘Breaking Barriers’ campaign.
- Mobile technologies and services contributed to 5.4% of global GDP in 2023, generating $5.7 trillion in economic value.
- By 2030, 5G is poised to contribute over $930 billion to the global economy, with manufacturing (36%), public administration (15%), and services (10%) industries being the primary beneficiaries.
GSMA Ministerial Programme The GSMA Ministerial Programme represents the largest gathering of policymakers and industry leaders facilitating the digital economy. Each year, ministers, heads of regulatory authorities, and policymakers convene at MWC to engage with mobile industry CEOs and senior representatives from international organisations, to exchange knowledge and address priority policy and regulatory issues.
MWC Barcelona 2024 introduces and welcomes back features including the Talent Arena by Mobile World Capital Barcelona in Hall 3; the startup and innovation platform, 4YFN, celebrating its 10th anniversary in Halls 8.0 and 8.1; Connected Industries and GSMA Foundry at the GSMA Pavilion in Hall 4; and Journey to the Future in Hall 6.
Keynotes and discussions from the Debate Stage at MWC Barcelona will be live-streamed on the MWC website and app, as well as on Mobile World Live. All this content, along with conference sessions, will be available on demand on the MWC website.
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