MWC Las Vegas 2024: A Thrilling Showcase for GSMA Foundry 

MWC Las Vegas was an exhilarating event for GSMA Foundry, marked by groundbreaking technologies, strategic collaborations, and a steadfast commitment to driving positive change through connectivity.

Collaboration with IBM: Your Gen AI Journey, Accelerated 

Our ongoing collaboration with IBM took centre stage on day 1, with an inspiring keynote from Lara Dewar, GSMA’s Chief Marketing Officer. This address highlighted the launch of the Gen AI Accelerator pack – granting GSMA members exclusive access to cutting-edge AI technology through IBM’s watsonx.ai – along with Gen AI Accelerator credits. This initiative is set to empower our members to harness AI effectively, fostering growth and innovation within their organisations.  

Engaging Experiences at the GSMA Pavilion 

The GSMA Pavilion buzzed with activity, featuring several exciting Foundry projects that captivated attendees. The GSMA Foundry & IBM partnership was represented by IBM watsonx.ai experts on-site. 

One of the standout attractions was the interactive demo ‘Portside Pitch.’ This 5G Sensor Experience, developed by BeWhere, invited participants to engage in a hands-on challenge—hitting target connected containers to see how many they could light up. This not only entertained but also showcased the versatility of BeWhere’s latest BeTen range of low-power 5G wide-area asset trackers. These advanced trackers are designed to monitor the location and condition of cargo throughout busy port complexes. Read about how the integration of 5G and satellite technologies is revolutionising asset tracking in this new whitepaper from BeWhere and GSMA Foundry, launched last week.  

World Mobile showcased their initiative, ‘Telecoms: Decentralized.’ In the U.S., an alarming 24 million people live in remote deserts without access to reliable broadband, with Nevada facing the worst coverage availability in the nation. World Mobile is tackling this challenge by leveraging a blockchain-based sharing economy to build a decentralised cellular network in Reno, Nevada. They have managed to cover 70% of the population in less than 12 months. This innovative approach not only addresses connectivity issues in Nevada but also paves the way for more equitable and affordable internet access across the USA and beyond. For those interested in learning more, a detailed case study will be available shortly on the GSMA Foundry website.  

Additionally, we showcased a new demo from Nokia anyRAN, offering enterprises the flexibility and scalability through collaboration with global system integrators and cloud core solution providers for boosts in productivity, enhanced security and ultra reliability.

GSMA Foundry AI Leaders Roundtable 

On Day 2, the GSMA Foundry hosted an AI Leaders Roundtable sponsored by Microsoft. This relaxed session brought together a diverse group of AI experts, including MNOs, enterprise representatives, telecom vendors, and Gen AI startups. The focus of the discussion was on “How to Create an AI Growth Engine.”  

Participants explored the current landscape of AI in enterprise settings, discussing how businesses are leveraging AI to generate growth while addressing the challenges and risks associated with AI adoption. 

This collaborative atmosphere fostered invaluable insights, setting the stage for future AI initiatives. GSMA Foundry plans to continue these AI Roundtables at upcoming events, including m360 MENA in November, so stay tuned for more opportunities to engage. 

If you’re heading to Barcelona for MWC25 in March 2025, we look forward to meeting you at the GSMA Pavilion. And if you have a new demo you’d like to share, don’t hesitate to get in touch!