Mobile World Congress – Day III & IV
The show has seen a reasonably good turnout. The exhibition stands with the shiniest, glitzy platforms have been busy but so have the companies that offer new revenue generating possibilities or cost-savings.
The one thing that is obvious though is the mobile phone is dead… as we know it. It’s a device that continues to offer multiple capabilities: SMS voice, video camera, payment services, still camera, computer, GPS location device, mini-television, movie projector, personal music player and on and on…
The mobile industry has spawned a tremendous amount of innovation, jobs and technology and this show is a great reflection of the future direction. While the number of people through the door has been down slightly (no official figures released yet), the number of deals being made appears to continue for all exhibitors judging by the busy meeting rooms.
Mobile broadband has been a hot topic at the show. Discussions about WiMAX, 3GPP and LTE will continue long after the show but it bodes well both for consumers and the mobile industry as the industry appears to be moving towards an IP centric-environment.
Consumers will have the benefit of browser-based services, P2P services such as VoIP and video calling capabilities, and operators will witness increasing Average Revenue per User (ARPU). As a movement towards an IP-based mobile system happens there will be a greater focus on providing dedicated bandwidth and controlling latency issues to ensure successful, high-quality VoIP and video-based services. The move to an IP-based system may only be starting but it demonstrates the industry is still innovating and growing.
