GSMA Mobile World Congress 2013 sets new records

SPAIN: The GSMA reported that more than 72,000 visitors from over 200 countries attended the 2013 Mobile World Congress, setting another new record for the mobile industry's premier event.

The four-day conference and exhibition attracted executives from the world's largest and most influential mobile operators, software companies, equipment providers, Internet companies and companies from industry sectors such as automotive, finance and healthcare, as well as government delegations from across the globe. Over 50 per cent of this year's Mobile World Congress attendees hold C-level positions, including more than 4,300 CEOs.

"We are thrilled with the record results for Mobile World Congress 2013, in our first year here in Fira Gran Via," said John Hoffman , CEO, GSMA Ltd. "Mobile is one of the most vibrant and dynamic industries in the world, and the innovation that is powering the sector was clearly evident throughout Mobile World Congress, in the exhibition, the conference, programmes such as App Planet and mPowered Brands and new event initiatives such as the NFC Experience. We thank all attendees, exhibitors and sponsors for making our 2013 event such a success."

Mobile World Congress set additional records, with more than 1,700 exhibiting companies showcasing cutting-edge products and services across 94,000 net square metres of exhibition and hospitality space. More than 3,400 international media and industry analysts attended the event to report on the many significant industry announcements made at the Congress.

According to a preliminary independent economic analysis, the 2013 Mobile World Congress will have contributed more than 320 million Euros to the local economy. This represents an increase of approximately 19 million Euros over the economic impact of the 2012 event and is driven by the growth in attendance and number of exhibiting companies, as well as the increased footprint of exhibition and hospitality spaces.

Leading CEOs take stage
During the event, CEOs and senior executives from companies including the American Heart Association, Apigee, AT&T, Bharti Airtel, China Mobile, CNN Digital, Deezer, Deutsche Telekom, Dropbox, Ericsson, General Motors, Foursquare, Jana, Jolla, Juniper Networks, KT Corp., Mozilla Foundation, Nielsen, Nokia, NTT DOCOMO, Ooredoo, Qualcomm, Telefonica, Tele2, Tribal DDB Worldwide, Ubuntu, Viber and Vodafone, discussed and debated the trends and issues which are shaping the mobile industry today and into the future.

Beyond the keynotes, the 2013 conference also included focused sessions exploring topics such as big data, mobile cloud, mWallets, NFC, small cells and smart cities, as well as the role of mobile in adjacent industries like advertising, automotive, finance and retail.

Record attendance to GSMA ministerial program
The GSMA's Ministerial Program again saw record attendance, with government delegations from 143 countries and intergovernmental organisations meeting in Barcelona.

The Ministerial Program brings together governments, regulators and industry leaders to discuss the specific regulatory issues shaping the development of mobile around the world. Sponsors for the Ministerial Programme included STC and ZTE.

Focus on connected living
A highlight of the Mobile World Congress exhibition was the Connected City, which featured a complete urban environment, including a town hall, department store, apartment, electrical store, hotel, cafe and lounge, office, a car showroom and a street.

Developed in partnership with AT&T, Deutsche Telekom, KT, Telenor and Vodafone, the Connected City showcased new products and experiences illustrating how a more connected future – powered by mobile – will improve people's daily lives across automotive, education, health, homes, retail and more.

NFC experience
More than 10,500 attendees participated in the newly introduced NFC Experience, an interactive experience through which attendees, exhibitors and vendors used NFC-enabled handsets to exchange information and conduct transactions at locations throughout Fira Gran Via and in Barcelona.

Partners in the NFC Experience included Sony Mobile Communications, CaixaBank, Telefonica, Visa, Gemalto, INSIDE Secure, Hotel Santos Porta Fira, Assa Abloy, Accenture, Connecthings, Open Trends, Ajuntament de Barcelona and Mobile World Capital.

"On behalf of the GSMA, we thank the city of Barcelona, the city of Hospitalet, the Generalitat de Catalunya, the Fira de Barcelona and all our Barcelona partners for supporting and contributing to such an amazing event, and we look forward to returning to the city next year and continuing our success in Fira Gran Via," concluded Hoffman.

The 2014 Mobile World Congress will be held 24-27 February 2014 at Fira Gran Via.