With Mobile World Congress just around the corner, we decided to share some information about the mobile industry’s biggest event. More precisely, we wanted to share what we think are the 5 things mobile enthusiasts should know about it. Let’s roll, shall we?
1. Mobile World Congress is by far the biggest industry gathering in the world (check out last year’s numbers from here), with annual attendance between 50,000 and 60,000 people. As an industry gathering, it’s not open to the general public, though everyone willing to pay a hefty fee can enter the venue.
2. Up until 2006, the event took place in Cannes, France and was known as 3GSM World. I like to think we have the emergence of 4G mobile network technologies to thank for the name change.
3. This is the last year Mobile World Congress takes place at Fira de Barcelona. Starting from 2013 and through 2018, it will be moved to the brand new Fira Gran Via, also in Barcelona.
4. Mobile World Congress is organized by the GSM Association (GSMA), an association of mobile operators and related companies devoted to supporting the standardizing, deployment and promotion of the GSM mobile telephone system.
5. And finally shameless self-promotion: IntoMobile has been covering Mobile World Congress since 2006.
There you have it folks. This is going to be an interesting week so stay tuned… 😉