From keynotes to summits, the Mobile World Congress 2024 agenda is packed full of solo presentations, panels and roundtables. But which topics are the ones to watch this year? We’ve scoured the conference programme to give our take on what will be the most talked about topics this year.
1. The evolution of 5G
Ten years ago, 5G topped the billing at Mobile World Congress – and it still has a place in the spotlight this year. In 2014, the technology standard was very much in the early stages. In fact, for those not in the telecoms industry, there was a scepticism around whether we needed anything more than 4G. This year, the conversation has, of course, moved on and attendees are likely to hear how we can further advance the technology.
2. Industry 4.0
One area which seems to present a particular opportunity for 5G in the future is Industry 4.0. It is clear operators see this as a growing market, with numerous presentations focusing on using the technology in various new industries thanks to 5G enabling benefits such as ultra-low latency, massive network capacity and increased availability. From smart factories and enterprises to rail and health, the B2B sell looks set to be a big focus this year.
3. AI
After dominating headlines for more than a year, it should be no surprise that AI looks set to be a buzzword at MWC 2024. The agenda reveals the big questions yet to be answered around AI – is it ethical? What regulation is needed? Can we eliminate bias? What impact is it having on security? And what is its place in the telecoms industry?
4. Being green
Sustainability is an ever-growing concept and a significant number of sessions have chosen to focus on how to be green. From renewable energy for storage innovation to mobilising for a greener future, sustainability is a topic that isn’t going to go away for telcos.
5. Viva virtualisation!
Finally, virtualisation, cloud and open networks once again look set to be given a fair share of the MWC 2024 spotlight. Sessions that assess the success of concepts like the cloud, Open RAN, network slicing and private networks seem particularly plentiful.
If you are attending Mobile World Congress and want to extend your message beyond the show floor, we can help you raise your profile before, during and after the event.