This is the fourth in a six-part blog series discussing the key topics of GSMA Ministerial Programme 2016. This prestigious event, held alongside Mobile World Congress, provides a unique platform for the world’s most influential telecommunications leaders to unite and discuss the most pressing issues affecting the future of the mobile industry. This year the Ministerial Programme will be held from 22-25 February at Fira Gran Via, Barcelona.

Jeanine Vos, Executive Director, GSMA Connected Living

The Internet of Things (IoT) and Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communications have the potential to transform the economy and society in all regions of the world. The first services in the market were mainly targeted at businesses, enabling boosts to productivity and efficiency across many different sectors. For example, helping logistics companies to track and manage their fleet of vehicles or goods, farmers to control life stock movements and food supply across their fields, or helping wind turbines gather data about the weather or environmental pollution.

Increasingly, IoT and M2M services are also being launched that deliver substantial benefits for consumers. For example, Smart Home sensors to provide enhanced security for the family, wellness devices that help individuals manage their own health and fitness, or connected cars that provide information on the fastest route or call for assistance in case of incidents.

The public sector can significantly benefit from IoT solutions too. For example, smart metering solutions to manage energy consumption of public buildings, smart lighting to enhance safety, or smart cities solutions help to improve traffic flows across the transport system.

Together, all of these solutions have a far-reaching positive impact on the wider economy and society. They reduce carbon footprints, stem increasing healthcare costs, enhance transportation safety, increase productivity, and generally improve quality of life. Governments and regulators play an important role in enabling this new IoT world to grow further, and for new innovations to reach the market. Not just through setting of appropriate policies and shaping of the enabling regulatory frameworks, but also as the ultimate customers and users of these solutions.

The Ministerial Programme Leadership Workshop: “Policies and regulation for growth of the Internet of Things”, explores examples from different regions in the world, of steps that governments and regulators are taking to capture these benefits that the IoT could bring. A panel of thought leaders from the public and private sector will discuss fundamental issues including:

• Government policies which provide the right incentives for growth and innovation
• The creation of a sustainable and technology-neutral IoT regulatory environment
• The next steps needed for the IoT to develop, grow, and become a more prominent tool for consumers, industries and governments

Confirmed speakers include:

• Dr Mike Bell, Global Connected Car Director, Jaguar Land Rover
• Maximiliano Martinhão, Secretary of Telecommunications, Brazil
• Stéphane Richard, Chairman and CEO, Orange
• Sébastien Soriano, Chairman, Autorité de Régulation des Communications Electroniques et des Postes, France
• Choi Yanghee, Minister of Science, ICT and Future Planning, Republic of Korea
• Jeanine Vos, Executive Director, Connected Living Programme, GSMA

The Ministerial Programme will be located in Auditorium A at Mobile World Congress. It is an invitation only event targeted at senior government and industry representatives.

For more information on the GSMA Connected Living programme, please visit http://www.gsma.com/connectedliving/

For more information on the Ministerial Programme, please visit http://www.ministerialprogramme.com/