The MWC could not be held physically in the years 2020 and 2021 due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. However, in 2022, the pandemic concerns have relatively been slowing down and GSMA had great news that the world’s largest technology convention, Mobile World Congress, MWC 2022 will be held physically once again in Barcelona, Spain on February 28, 2022. This great news comes 2 years after its hiatus since 2019!

However, 2022 has its fair share of global issues to tackle, as of February 24, 2022, the Ukraine-Russian conflict has developed into an all-out war, with Russia first invading Ukraine. As condemnation towards the Russian leaders in charge of the war, many European countries have imposed sanctions and banned Russia from participating in global events such as the Eurovision Song Contest and the F1 Grand Prix. 

And today, GSMA is the latest organisation added to the list of organisations against the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as GSMA has officially announced that Russia is banned from joining MWC 2022 and its other related events this year.

Here’s the excerpt that GSMA has posted on its website:

“The GSMA strongly condemns the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The situation is fast-moving, and we understand that various governments are considering broader sanctions against Russia. In light of this emerging situation and considering the tragic loss of life, MWC seems immaterial under the circumstances. MWC is a unifying event with a vision to convene the mobile ecosystem to progress ways and means that connectivity can ensure people, industry, and society thrive.

The GSMA follows all government sanctions and policies resulting from this situation. There will be no Russian Pavilion at MWC 2022. Security for the event is constantly reviewed and adjusted as information emerges.”

In solidarity and support of the sanctions against Russia, GSMA has officially confirmed it has also blacklisted several Russian companies participating in the event along with other GSMA-related events. GSMA has no plans of delaying MWC 2022. Instead, GSMA views the congress as “a unifying event” that can bring countries that brings the people, industry and society as a whole to progress.

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(Source, Via)

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Mobile World Congress popularly known as MWC holds in multiple locations. The most popular of them is MWC Barcelona which held this year in June, but there is also MWC Shanghai and MWC Los Angeles. Now, the GSMA is bringing the event to Africa this year with the first edition set to hold in the capital of Rwanda.

The first edition of MWC Africa will be a virtual event even though the GSMA says it will be held in Kigali, Rwanda. The reason is because of the on-going pandemic, so in-person events are on hold. An in-person event will hold in 2022.

MWC is coming to #Africa!

Until we can meet in person, MWC Africa will be hosting a series of #virtual events, where you can meet the continents most exciting innovators & keep up to date with the latest industry developments.

Watch this space #MWC21 pic.twitter.com/8pP5vy39Iy

— MWC ( #MWCLA21) (@MWCHub) August 5, 2021

MWC Africa is a three-day event that begins on September 28 and runs until September 30. You can register to be a part of the event here.

At the moment, there is no mention of which manufacturers will be attending the event but we expect there will be a lot of local players too. The teaser video also mentions that ZTE is one of the sponsors.

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A recent projection has revealed that 5G connections will grow to account for about a fifth of total mobile connections by the end of 2025. This would have 5G connections reach almost 2 billion.

According to a MobileWorldLive report, a GSMA forecast has stated that connections of the newer and faster bandwidth would hit 1.8 billion by the end of 2025. In other words, this would account for about 21 percent of the overall connections, with regions like the Asia Pacific and North America registering the highest adoptions in the world. Although, nearly half of all 5G connections will be from China as it is expected to reach 828 million connections by 2025.

The industry group shared this news on its latest Mobile Economy report in which it added that two in five people are expected to live within the reach of a 5G network within a couple of years. GSMA also stated that the adoption of the technology will represent 53 percent of total connections in Australia, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea. ON the other hand, China alone would be responsible for half of all global 5G connections.

Similarly, the new telecommunication generation will also be accounting for 51 percent of all mobile connections, reaching 219 million by the year 2025. Furthermore, mobile technologies and services would also contribute a sizeable 4.4 trillion US Dollars to the global GDP in 2020 (up from 4.1 trillion US Dollars in 2019), and are expected to reach 5 trillion US Dollars by the end of 2025.

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The 2020 edition of Mobile World Congress, shortly referred to as MWC, was canceled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The organizers, GSMA even refunded the amount for attendees and companies. Moving forward, it recently rescheduled the MWC Barcelona event to June 2021 for better interests. Now, the organization announces that MWC Shanghai 2021 will return as a physical event.

GSMA(formerly: GSM Association) in a press release(via PR Newswire) announced the details of the in-person event. For starters, MWC 2021 Shanghai, China, will take place between  February 23-25 at Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC). The theme for MWC 2021 is Connected Impact. Besides, people who attend the 2021 edition will witness 5G, AI, IoT, smart home, and many such breakthrough technologies.

Some of the exhibiting companies at the event include China Mobile, China Telecom, China Unicom, CICT, Ericsson, H3C, Huawei, Nokia Shanghai Bell, and ZTE. Out of the entire list of keynote and sessions speakers, some notable keynote speakers include:

• Ken Hu, Rotating Chairman, Huawei
• Yang Yuanqing, Chairman & CEO, Lenovo
• Xu Ziyang, CEO, ZTE
• Yang Jie, Chairman, China Mobile
• Ke Ruiwen, Chairman, China Telecom

In addition to in-person events, MWC also says it will allow an online international audience from around the globe. The virtual experience will cover content, networking, and exhibition of the event.

EDITOR’S PICK: CTA announces new dates for next year’s CES 2021 all-digital event

That said, the event has four types of passes- Online Pass, Full Exhibition Pass, 5G Smartphone Conference Card, VIP Meeting Card. You can take a look at their pricing below:

• Online Pass- 390 RMB($59.64)
• Full Exhibition Pass- 690 RMB($105.5)
• 5G Smartphone Conference Pass- 6,200 RMB($948)
• VIP Pass- 6,300 RMB($963.39)*

*This is a discounted price. Original price is 9,000 RMB($1376)

In case you didn’t know, MWC is an annual trade show. It showcases new concepts and technologies from smartphones, networking companies, etc., every year. Coming back, as per the official press release, MWC 2019 witnessed about 500 exhibitors and 65,000 attendees from around the world.

However, it is hard to expect such an audience next year given the pandemic is easing out very slowly. Nevertheless, if you are interested in visiting the event, you can book the passes here-> MWC Shanghai 2021 Pass.

UP NEXT: Microsoft Surface Hub 2S 50 launched in China for CNY 72,888 (~$11,000)

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Mobile World Congress (MWC) Barcelona is known to take place in the first quarter of the year, but that changes next year as the GSMA has announced new dates for its events.

The new dates announced by the GSMA in a press release informed us that MWC Shanghai, which used to take place in June, will now hold in February, while MWC Barcelona moves to June. The Barcelona event was originally scheduled for the first week of March 2021. Below are the exact dates for the events in 2021:

• MWC Shanghai: February 23 – February 25
• MWC Barcelona: June 28 – July 1

*MWC Los Angeles remains unchanged with this year’s edition set to take place between October 28 to October 30.

The GSMA says the decision to move the Barcelona event to June is so as to deal with external circumstances related to COVID-19. The decision was also taken after planning and consultation with all key stakeholders. The Director-General of the GSMA, Mats Granryd, has said that “the health and safety of exhibitors, attendees, staff and the people of Barcelona are of paramount importance”.

MWC Barcelona is one of the biggest tech events in the world. The tech show is a platform for exhibitors to show off new technologies. A lot of phone manufacturers also use the platform to announce new products. It remains to be seen if these products will still be unveiled in the first quarter of the year at individual events or if they will be delayed so that they can be announced at MWC Barcelona.

UP NEXT: CES Asia canceled after five years

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China is one of the few countries in the world to have a well covered high-speed 5G network technology. Carriers in the region launched commercial 5G services only last year and the market is already showing huge progress in adoption. As per a series of reports published by GSMA, 5G networks will account for almost half of the country’s mobile network by 2025.

The 2020 China edition of ‘Mobile Economy’, a series of reports on the mobile industry by GSMA says that the country’s 5G adoption rate is on par with other leading regions such as Japan, South Korea, and the United States. It also forecasts half the country’s mobile networks will be 5G by the year 2025. Further, over $180 billion is estimated to be invested in mobile CAPEX over the next five years by the Chinese operators. Out of which, roughly 90% of the total investment will be on 5G networks.

According to Sihan Bo Chen, GSMA’s Head of Greater China, as a result of early 5G adoption, China has already built more than 160,000 5G base stations covering more than 50 cities. He also adds that unlocking the benefits of next-generation networks and flexible policies for spectrum as well as infrastructure are strategically important to aid China’s ongoing transmission into a fully-fledged digital economy. One of the reports also forecasts the mmWave 5G to contribute $104 billion to China’s GDP by 2034.

In case you are interested in reading all the detailed reports published by GSMA under the ‘Mobile Economy’ series, then access them from the source link provided below.

(Source)

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The GSM Association (GSMA), the organisation responsible for hosting the Mobile World Congress recently announced the cancellation of this year’s edition due to the COVID-19 epidemic that emanated in China. Although the event is held annually in Barcelona, there were concerns in different quarters as regards cross-transmission and already, some of the top firms like Samsung, NVIDIA, Vivo, Sony, Amazon had announced they won’t be attending the event. However, the cancellation came as a surprise to some due to the fact that GSMA had until the last minute assured that the event would hold.

While exhibitors who had already made plans to unleash their latest products were still trying to recover, GSMA  has dealt them another blow by informing exhibitors that no refund will be issued. Instead, the association referred them to a clause in their terms and conditions that absolves the GSMA of liability.

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Clause 21.10 of the Standard Terms and Conditions for Exhibition, Advertising, and Sponsorship, reads as follows;

The Organizer shall not be liable to the Company for any losses, costs, damages or expenses (whether incurred under contract, tort or otherwise) suffered or incurred as a direct or indirect result of an event beyond the control of the Organizer, including without limitation, any act of God, disease or epidemic, strike, lock-out, industrial disturbance, failure of suppliers, act of public enemy, war, labor dispute, terrorist act, blockade, riot, civil commotion, public demonstration or governmental or local authority restraint nor shall the Organizer be liable to refund any fees.

The company also disclosed that it is working on ‘a proposal’ designed to make the best of a bad situation and maintain good relations between the GSMA and its MWC commercial partners, which it expects to share by the end of March. The company also added that it’s a not-for-profit organisation and that it finds itself in a precarious financial position as a result of the cancellation. The last has definitely not been heard of this matter. We’ll keep you updated when any new development crops up.

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(via)

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Earlier this month, news arrived that the MWC 2020 (Mobile World Congress) which is held in Barcelona has been canceled. The reason for this was the recent Coronavirus epidemic that has devastated China and is causing a massive financial cost to be incurred for the canceled event.

For those unaware, China is witnessing the outbreak of a new breed of Coronavirus. The infection is highly contagious and has killed an estimated 1,669 people until now. The virus is known to cause pneumonia and originated from the Wuhan city in China. As of right now, a handful number of cases have also been confirmed worldwide and have since been a reason for high alert in other nations apart from just China as well.

The GSMA, the organizer behind the MWC 2020 event, is now discussing MWC events for Shanghai and Los Angeles. These are the other locations that also hold the event and take place later during the year. Furthermore, GSMA has already posted about the upcoming MWC 2021 event as well, which is stated to be held from March 1st to March 4th next year.

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After the decision to cancel the MWC event in Barcelona arrived, the organizer has seemingly taken a heavy loss. According to reports, the GSMA is even asking tech firms and other telecom operators’ help to cushion the sizable financial blow that it has witnessed. Since the event was canceled quite near the event dates, OEMs had already prepared and bought booths to promote their respective products whilst hotel rooms and other forms of accommodations had already been reserved as well. Even tickets to the event have also been sold too, and it is yet unclear if refunds will be handed out.

The Director General of GSMA, Mats Granryd, has stated that “We’re looking for solidarity and everybody bearing their own costs, Granryd said on Friday. “We’re an NGO (non-governmental organization) and we don’t make a profit. We don’t have huge amounts of funds, and all our proceeds are funneled back into the industry.” In other words, the organizer wishes for companies to manage the cost already incurred internally since the event isn’t made for profit, rather, to ensure that another event is held later down the road.

UP NEXT: OPPO’s upcoming flagship Find X2 could support 30W fast wireless charging

(Via)

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GSMA, a body that represents the interests of the mobile network operators network has denied any allegations regarding the recent Huawei Ban for MWC19. GSMA is the body which organizes the world’s largest exhibition for the mobile industry, Mobile World Congress. Recently, Reuters reported that GSMA has requested to ban Huawei equipment at the MWC 2019 exhibition. Today, GSMA has responded to it and has said that they have not requested anything like the Reuters reported.

GSMA group has termed the Reuters report as “seriously inaccurate” without any factual knowledge. As an association which represents the mobile communications globally, we are not in a position or has the power to “ban” any supplier. Moreover, they have requested the Reuters to rectify the incorrect content which leads the association to give justification.

Further, the GSMA has said that the board of director’s meeting will be held every year to discuss current topics in the industry. Even the agenda is not finalized, but there will be an overwhelming talk about 5G technologies.

Thanks to timely clarification from GSMA, otherwise MWC 2019 would have become a battlefield between Huawei and GSMA. Huawei is continuously working to bring 5G support among all its devices. The Chinese company is also a global leader providing 5G apparatus to major telecom operators around the world.

Read More: Thailand launches 5G test bed with Huawei equipments, going against US advice

Additionally, many companies are working to bring leading technologies at MWC 2019. Nokia, Huawei, Samsung, LG, and many other manufacturers are believed to come with new devices this month at MWC in Barcelona.

(Source, Via)

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This year, three devices were launched with an eSim -the Apple Watch 3, the Pixel 2 and the Pixel 2 XL. Add them to last year’s Samsung Galaxy Gear S2 3G and the iPad 9.7, the first two devices to come with what is called an eSim and that makes it five. For this new technology, this is just the beginning.

An eSIM/eUICC (embedded SIM or embedded UICC) is a replacement for the current physical SIM cards that we use in our smartphones and a bunch of other devices. While users can remove the physical SIM cards in their phones, an eSIM cannot be removed. Most people do not know how an eSIM works, this post is aimed at explaining how it works and the benefits it brings to consumers.

Evolution of SIM Cards

Ever since mobile phones became mainstream, users had to buy a SIM card from their preferred network operator to be able to use their services. The SIM card had a number attached to it and a security key that allowed the network to identify and authenticate subscribers of its services. It can also store contacts and text messages. Over the years, the physical SIM card has reduced in size. Starting first as what is today called the Mini SIM, then getting a reduction to what is called the Micro SIM and finally the Nano SIM. All three SIM types are still in use but the last two are the common ones used by smartphones.

So why has the size of the SIM reduced over time? To create space. Smartphones have gotten thinner over the years and space has become so precious. The Mini SIM takes a lot of space along with the tray and the reduction in size makes it possible for manufacturers to fit more components on the device or better still, create a thinner device.

How eSIMs Work

With the use of an eSIM which is a fraction of the size of a nano SIM and the complete elimination of the SIM tray, there is more space for other components as well as an overall thinner device.

Apart from space, eSIMs will also allow users switch between networks with ease. This is different from roaming (you don’t pay roaming charges) and is done over the air. eSIMs will be able to store different network profiles and consumers will be able to switch easily between networks. How this is supposed to work is that you should have multiple profiles on your eSIM and switch between any of them easily. So you can have a data plan on one SIM profile and a voice plan on another SIM profile, and because it is the same number, calls and SMS are not missed.

For easy switching, there has to be a unifying standard that makes it easy for SIM profiles to be loaded on the eSIM. The GSMA has a standard called Profile Interoperability which simplifies the process and makes the relationship between operators and OEMs more flexible. There are hundreds of operators all over the world with different SIM profiles, so it is only logical that there is a standard that everyone can adopt. The two videos below explain how this is supposed to work.

While the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL’s eSIM works on only Google’s Project Fi network for now, the Apple Watch 3 can be used on Verizon, T-Mobile, or Sprint. Users should be able to keep their mobile numbers when they switch but they may be charged a fee when moving to a new operator for the first time. This fee will be similar to what you pay when you purchase a SIM but may include free data and voice calls too in the package.

The Future of eSIMS

It may take a while for eSIMs to be adopted widely for smartphones, but it will be easier to adopt into devices like wearables, cars, and computers which require mobile connectivity. Microsoft and Qualcomm’s upcoming ARM-powered computers are expected to have eSIMs for on-the-go connectivity. Microsoft also announced that its new Surface Pro will come with LTE via an eSIM but that version won’t arrive till Spring next year.

For Windows PCs with eSIMs, users will be able to purchase data plans from the Windows Store. T-Mobile, AT&T and some other foreign operators have already signed on to work with Microsoft on this.

There are still some concerns associated with the use of eSIMs. Let’s say your phone is low on battery and you have a traditional SIM card, you could simply remove the SIM and put it into the other phone. For devices with eSIMs, you can’t do that.

READ MORE: Broadcom’s Highly Accurate GPS Chip Arriving in Smartphones Next Year

Also, the switch to eSIMs doesn’t mean the death of carrier-locked devices. The reason for carrier-locked devices is because the owners are on a contract plan and are obliged to pay monthly installments for the phone. It makes it easy for folks to get a new phone and not have to shell out the cost at once. However, they will be able to switch to any network of their choice when their contract expires.

What are your thoughts about eSIMs? Are there any problems you think they might pose that we have failed to mention? Please drop a comment in the box.

(Sources: 1)

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