With only two weeks to go until the 2018 edition of Mobile World Congress, the GSMA is putting the finishing touches to the numerous events, seminars, and demos that help to make up Mobile World Congress. Aligning with the event theme of “Creating a Better Future”, the GSMA’s industry programmes and initiatives will highlight how mobile technology is having a significant impact around the world and “Connecting Everyone and Everything to a Better Future”.
At Mobile World Congress 2018, GSMA programmes and initiatives will emphasise the key topics and trends that are shaping the future of the mobile industry, from 5G and digital identity to IoT and sustainable development, among others. This is the first of a two-part blog series designed to give attendees a preview of these events, seminars and summits.
Future Networks
The GSMA Future Networks programme will run two seminars at Mobile World Congress, taking attendees on a deep dive into Rich Communication Services (RCS), as well as 5G network slicing.
At the first seminar ‘MaaP: The Future of Brand Communications’, experts from Deutsche Telekom, Google, Samsung, Vodafone and other leading organisations will discuss how RCS will enhance consumer communications and increase engagement for millions of brands. Register here for the seminar to find out which brands, operators and technology providers have been the first to launch RCS messaging campaigns and to experience live demonstrations.
With 5G networks expected to cover one-third of the world’s population by 2025, the impact on the mobile industry and its customers will be profound. The ‘5G for Industry Specific Services’ seminar will present a number of distinguished industry experts from Bosch, EE, Telstra and Toyota who will showcase how network slicing is helping 5G unlock commercial opportunities in a range of industries such as automotive, retail, and media and entertainment, among others. You can register for this seminar here.
Identity
The GSMA Identity programme will host two seminars focused on Mobile Connect and key topics within the rapidly evolving identity market.
On Monday, 26 February, join digital identity experts from EE, the GSMA, Orange and others at the ‘Data Attributes as the New Digital Identity Currency’ seminar to examine the value of attributes as a currency within the digital identity market, and learn how cross-border identity transactions will shape ecommerce. Explore the agenda and register here.
The ‘How are Identity Regulations Shaping the Digital World?’ seminar on Tuesday, 27 February will explore how regulations like PSD2 and eIDAS are changing market perspectives while creating an environment for innovative business models. It will also cover the role that Mobile Connect plays in conveniently authenticating users online and how this is enabling trust, fostering innovation in digital services and strengthening security for online transactions.
Internet of Things
The GSMA Internet of Things programme will host the 6th Mobile IoT Summit on Sunday before Mobile World Congress 2018 begins. The Summit will gather industry experts from AT&T, the GSMA, Vodafone and more to explore the rapid growth and momentum behind both NB-IoT and LTEM technologies – find out more and register here.
Additionally, the Internet of Things programme will run two seminars, the first of which will highlight how IoT Big Data is helping to have a positive effect on the lives of citizens across the globe. The second seminar ‘IoT Security, Drones – Creating a Connected and Secure Future’ will evaluate the importance of IoT security and showcase this through a live demonstration where attendees will be able to witness how easily devices can be compromised if not sufficiently secured. The potential of drone technology will also be explored, showcasing how drones will become valued additions to modern life, helping to make cities smarter and improve quality of life for citizens.
Don’t miss the opportunity to join Telefónica’s technical industry experts who are at the forefront of Mobile IoT development to get hands-on experience, and learn about the practical implications and opportunities when building products and solutions with Mobile IoT at the Mobile IoT Innovators Developer Workshop.
Industry Purpose and External Affairs
The GSMA Industry Purpose and External Affairs programme will be demonstrating the impact mobile is having on lives across the globe through a seminar, workshops, the Sustainable Smart Cities MWC Tour and a number of conference sessions. Learn more about how the GSMA will be bringing the Sustainable Development Goals to life at MWC 2018 here.
Mobile for Development
The GSMA Mobile for Development team will be demonstrating how mobile technology is creating socio-economic impact and shaping a better future for all.
The ‘Payments as a Platform: Unlocking the API Economy and the Future of Digital Innovation’ seminar will explore how new players and partnerships, enabled by greater connectivity, better interfaces and different business models, will allow operators to reach the underserved and provide access to a wider range of digital services.
Attendees can also examine the proliferation of digital solutions in the humanitarian context and assess the success/difficulties of partnerships between humanitarian actors and the private sector at the ‘Enabling a Digital Humanitarian Future’ seminar.
Learn more about Mobile for Development at this year’s Mobile World Congress here.
Be part of the conversation
Finally, don’t forget to join and follow the conversation on social media using #MWC18 on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Snapchat, and new for this year, you can keep updated with the latest news and updates or find the information you need within Facebook Messenger.
Be sure to keep an eye out for the second blog post in this blog series which will take a deep dive into the exciting demonstrations the GSMA’s industry programmes have in store at the GSMA Innovation City!