The Mobile World Congress (MWC) Barcelona is an annual trade show organized by the GSMA dedicated to the mobile communications industry.
The GSMA, led by Director General and Broadband Commissioner, Mats Granryd, is a global organization unifying the mobile ecosystem to discover, develop and deliver innovation foundational to positive business environments and societal change.
This year’s event theme was Future First, working towards solving the challenges of today and tomorrow. Future First is supported by the MWC agenda and shaped by six sub-themes which reflect the latest trends and technologies including 5G and Beyond, Connecting Everything, Humanising AI, Manufacturing DX, Game Changers and Our Digital DNA.
Several Commissioners and their entities participated in the gathering as speakers, attendees and session moderators. In addition to the general agenda, a Ministerial Programme was featured under the “Mobile for Development ” Track, this Programme is noted to be the largest gathering of policymakers and industry leaders in the world.
At the event, ITU Secretary-General and Broadband Commission Co-Vice Chair Doreen Bogdan-Martin announced new investment commitments of over 9 billion USD to the ITU’s Partner2Connect Digital Coalition mobile operator groups to extend global connectivity. Since its inception in 2022, the platform has gathered commitments of 46 billion the total current value of planned investment in infrastructure, services and support.
“Universal meaningful connectivity is within our grasp," said Bogdan-Martin. “Thanks to these new commitments, millions of people will benefit from accessible and affordable connectivity across the world."
Throughout the sessions, participants contributions touched on the Advocacy Targets of the Broadband Commission, in the panel “Unlocking Opportunities through Digital Inclusion”, where HE Ms. Paula Ingabire, Minister of ICT and Innovation for Rwanda said, “In Rwanda, addressing the digital divide is imperative due to its significant implications for inclusive development. Women constitute 51.8% of Rwanda’s population, their inclusion in the digital landscape is not just about equality, it is a strategy for socio-economic growth.”
In addition to hosting meaningful discussions, MWC served as a meeting ground for Commissioners who gathered to sign agreements and announce new partnerships. Ericsson and MTN Group signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at advancing sustainability, digital skills, and education across Africa, in alignment with the Broadband Commission’s 4th Advocacy Target on Digital Skills Development.
The Broadband Commission’s 4th Advocacy Target states that by 2025, 60% of youth and adults should have achieved at least a minimum level of proficiency in sustainable digital skills.
Mats Granryd, Broadband Commissioner and Director General of GSMA closed the event, stating, “Hearing truly compelling industry insights from the conference programme, and experiencing the innovation, ingenuity and optimism from the show floor, is why we meet in Barcelona every year. This event is about providing a glimpse into the future and demonstrating how AI, 5G and APIs are unlocking new possibilities, thanks to collaborative initiatives like GSMA Open Gateway. We wish everybody a safe trip home and look forward to welcoming you back next year.”
Participating Commissioners (this is not an exhaustive list and may not reflect the full participation of Broadband Commissioners):
- Mats Granryd, Director General, GSMA
- Doreen Bogdan Martin, Secretary General, ITU
- Erik Ekudden, CTO, Ericsson
- H.E. Jessica Rosenworcel, Chairwoman, FCC
- Isabelle Mauro, Director General, GSOA
- Bocar Ba, CEO, SAMENA Telecommunications Council
- Abel Avellan, CEO, AST SpaceMobile
- Lew Cheun Hong, CEO, IMDA
- David Wajsgras, CEO, Intelsat
- HE Minister Paula Ingabire, Minister of ICT and Innovation, Rwanda
- Christel Heydemann, CEO, Orange
- Pekka Lundmark, CEO, Nokia
- HE Dr. Amani Abou-Zeid, Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, African Union Commission
- Mr. Ziyang Xu, Executive Director and CEO, ZTE
- ITC
- MTN
- UNESCO
- HUAWEI
- UNDP
- stc
- Bharti Airtel
Selected events where Commissioners were featured:
- Keynote 1
- Steering the Digital Economy
- Early Warning Systems: The Power of Partnership
- 5G Futures Summit – The Evolution of the 5G Era
- GSMA SEC CON – Securing the Future with Artificial Intelligence
- GTI Summit 2024
- Responsible AI: Following an Ethical Compass
- Digital Cooperation to deliver the benefits of technology across Nations
- Towards a New Infrastructure Investment Framework
- Unlocking opportunity through digital inclusion
- Handset affordability
Check out relevant reports:
- Making Connectivity work for MSMEs
- Strategies towards Universal Smartphone Access
- 21st Century Financing Models
Relevant Partnerships:
