MWC Shanghai convenes global leaders from the mobile ecosystem at the SNIEC to celebrate the first fully in-person iteration of the event since 2019
GSMA MWC Shanghai, theleading connectivity event in the Asia Pacific region, opened its doors today at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC). Taking place across three days, MWC Shanghai 2023 marks the event’s 10th anniversary and convenes leaders from the global telecoms ecosystem to explore the key trends impacting the future of connectivity.
“MWC Shanghai is the place where business gets done, and I cannot wait to see what this week holds in store,” said John Hoffman, CEO of GSMA Ltd. during the ceremony. “In 10 years, our industry has come close to doubling the number of customers that we serve, from 3.2 billion to 5.4 billion, and China has been a big part of this growth. As you walk around MWC Shanghai, you will see the theme of Velocity reflected across the event, from conference to exhibition and everywhere in between.”
“An event of this size cannot take place without close partnership and collaboration. We are deeply touched by the unwavering commitment of returning and new exhibitors, showcasing the latest innovations that benefit society,” said Sihan Bo Chen, Head of Greater China, GSMA. “A warm thank you and welcome to all the ministries, government departments, event partners and sponsors, exhibitors and, of course, our attendees.”
During the event’s opening ceremony, John Hoffman and Sihan Bo Chen were honoured to be joined on stage to open the event by dignitaries including H.E Zhuang Rongwen, Minister of Cyberspace Administration of China; H.E Zhao Zhiguo, Chief Engineer, Ministry of Industry of Information and Technology; H.E Li Zheng, Vice Mayor, Shanghai Municipal People’s Government; Mr. Yang Jie, Chairman, China Mobile; Mr. Ke Ruiwen, Chairman & CEO, China Telecom; Mr. Liu Liehong, Chairman & CEO, China Unicom.
Celebrating innovation
The Asian Mobile Awards (AMOs) are the Asian connectivity industry’s most prestigious accolade which recognise, honour and celebrate the individuals, teams, organisations and partnerships that strive to better the world through connectivity. During the MWC Shanghai opening ceremony, the GSMA announced Liu Lie Hong,Chairman & CEO of China Unicom, as the winner of the 2023 Outstanding Contribution to Asia Mobile Industry award, and Xu Ziyang, Executive Director and President of ZTE, as the winner of the 2022 award. The winners of the Best Smartphone in Asia, Disruptive Device Innovation in Asia, and the 5G Industry Challenge categories, will be announced during keynote 3 between 10:00-11:00am on Thursday 29th June.
The conference’s three keynote sessions will explore the next stage of digital transformation, the rise of digital-first networks, and the key technologies that are driving change. A full agenda of speaking sessions can be found here. Across five halls attendees have the opportunity to explore a mix of brand-new and familiar zones that celebrate innovation. For example, the all-new Digital Shanghai zone in Hall N5 which celebrates the city of Shanghai and its international technology vision, as well as the innovations and achievements of Chinese industry.
Visitors to Digital Shanghai will discover how Shanghai is helping to empower high-quality economic development, improved living standards, and efficient city operations with the use of next-generation information technology. Enterprises participating in the new space include Zhongshan Hospital, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Information Investment (SII), China State Construction, INESA, Dahan Tricom, Shanghai International Automobile City, General Plan, West Well, and many more.
Elsewhere, the GSMA Pavilion will showcase the latest mobile innovations with demos and immersive experiences. This includes GSMA Open Gatewaydesigned to provide developers with universal access to operator networks. This initiative is supported by almost 30 mobile network operators (MNO), with China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom representing the most recent signatories following a signing ceremony on Monday 26 June with Mats Granryd, Director General of the GSMA.
Located in Hall N3, 5G IN, a GSMA Global Foundry project brings together mobile operators, start-ups and investors to explore the digital ecosystem for new disruptors, brave pioneers and ground-breaking business models. Visitors to the space will learn how 5G is shaping the economy and redefining society through panel sessions focused on the space’s three themes of 5G City, Metaverse and New Tech. Follow the GSMA website to download “5G Business Model Innovation & Development Whitepaper”, a joint report by GSMA 5G IN and China’s 5GAIA (5G Applications Industry Array) which will be available to download on 29 June 2023. It will outline the best practices of 5G business models for innovation in consumer and vertical markets. A new 5G report created by GSMA Intelligence and GTI, “Unleashing New Value with Innovative 5G Technology” that focuses on how innovation in 5G technology can create new value for consumers, enterprises and society globally is available to download here.