What have we learnt at MWC 2024?

The MWC Barcelona 2024, held from February 24th to 27th, once again lived up to its reputation by showcasing cutting-edge technologies, innovative products, and thought-provoking discussions.

The event gathered over 100,000 attendees and featured over 2,700 exhibitors from 205 countries, making it the largest and most diverse MWC till date. This year, the spotlight was on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its various aspects - Machine Learning (ML), Generative Intelligence (GenAI), Data Analysis and more. These developments were explored in relation to the use of telecommunications, particularly wireless networks such as 4G, and 5G (and the potential for 6G).

What was the MWC Agenda?

1. Beyond Connectivity: How Telco to Tech-co efforts for Tier 1 CSP’s are translating into beyond connectivity revenues – expansion of core and non-core.

2.?How Telcos are increasing their ESG, Sustainability efforts

3. Gen AI: How Generative AI is transforming telecoms and how telcos are experimenting through use cases in CX, Customer service, Network, Marketing & Personalization, Data driven sales, Predictive maintenance, etc. It is projected that the market size of global AI in telecommunications will reach $14.99 billion by 2027 up from $11.89 billion in 2020, at a CAGR of 42.6% during 2021–2027.

4. 5G Connectivity: While 5G has been rolled out in many countries, it is still not available in many parts of the world. The major focus was on how 5G can enable new use cases and business models.

5. Edge AI: The Consensus at MWC was clear, Edge AI isn’t just coming, its already arrived and about to go mainstream.

6. AR/VR: Will tomorrow’s smartphone be an AR/VR headset or an ambient assistant?

7. Digital Inclusion: How to bridge the digital divide gap and ensure digital inclusion for all?

Most Talked about Topics:

1. Gen AI in Telecom Industry: Generative AI is transforming the telecom industry by bringing intelligence to network operations. It predicts and prevents equipment failures, allocates resources based on real-time demands and even automates tasks. This translates to smoother network performance, reduced downtime, and lower costs. On the customer side, AI-powered chatbots offer 24/7 support and personalized solutions, while network planning gets optimized with AI analyzing data for better coverage and resource allocation.

For more info on telecom best practices on Gen AI please contact [email protected]

2. Global Telco AI Alliance: Deutsche Telekom, e& Group, Singtel, SoftBank and SK Telecom officially launched the Global Telco AI Alliance (GTAA) and announced their plan to establish a joint venture. Their main goal of creating this joint venture is to develop a multilingual – i.e, German, English, Korean, etc. - large language model (LLM) tailored to the needs of telcos. The LLMs will be designed to help telcos improve their customer interactions via digital assistants and chatbots.

3. The Digital Consumer: Bundling strategies of telcos are increasingly focused on digital services with management of multiple subscriptions seen as the driver to expand revenues and serving the digital way of life.?Telcos are?introducing various digital services (e.g. gaming, health and fitness, utilities, insurance, smart home, etc.) to complement traditional bundles alongside more customization and choice. App Gamification and App Engagement remain a top priority for 2024 amongst CDOs and heads of online for leading telcos.

Additionally, Tier 1 and Tier 2 telcos are focused on ‘Marketing the App’ as a channel.?The driving force behind loyalty has shifted, and it is now centered around ease. Today, customers value seamless purchasing, convenience, and an Amazon-like experience. As they become accustomed to exceptional journeys and experiences through e-commerce and grocery apps, their expectations extend to telcos as well.

For research on digital telco best practices and App Gamification please contact [email protected]

4. Network APIs: Industry analysts said APIs offer a way for telcos to monetize 5G networks, but they need to decide whether to be a low-cost utility or digital services/API provider. Many major operators are now developing and exposing to network APIs through initiatives like Open Gateway by GSMA.

Vodafone showcases its latest network APIs, providing an opportunity for third-party developers and businesses to utilize the advanced features of Vodafone's network and develop cutting-edge services. These APIs specifically target important concerns such as preventing online fraud and safeguarding digital identities, allowing various industries to enhance security and verify customer identity on mobile networks.

5. Convergence of 5G & AI at the Edge: Experts highlights that a convergence of 5G, edge computing, and AI has a potential to revolutionize various sectors like autonomous vehicles, smart cities, and healthcare. Intel took center stage by announcing its new Edge platform, a modular and open software solution designed to streamline development, deployment and management of AI applications at the network edge.

6. ESG: As the demand for energy continues to increase it has become crucial to incorporate renewable energy sources and implement energy-efficient practices. Telcos are committing to carbon neutrality, aiming to reach net zero emissions by 2050, with some aiming for 2025. Telcos are now committed to inspire inclusion across their community and beyond more than ever before.

For more info on telco ESG roadmaps and actionable sustainability strategies please contact [email protected]

7. AR/VR: The high bandwidth and low latency of 5g networks enable rich and immersive VR/AR experiences. Companies demonstrated use cases such as remote collaboration, skills training, education and entertainment.

Vodafone has introduced HyperRealityHub, an innovative solution utilizing Snapdragon technology, designed to revolutionize the XR landscape. This groundbreaking product is a departure from traditional cumbersome XR headsets and now offering sleek and cost-effective glasses that enable shared immersive experiences for both businesses and consumers.

8. Need for Collaboration and Partnerships: The digital ecosystem is becoming increasingly complex, and no single company can dominate the market. Telcos will need to work closely with technology providers, content creators and other players to deliver innovative solutions to their customers. At the event, we saw numerous partnerships and collaborations happening from 5G network infrastructure to AI-powered devices. Like Rakuten Symphony?teams up with OpenAI to create?AI-driven telecom applications, aiming to enhance network management and customer service.

Key Priorities:

1.?Telcos must embrace digital transformation to stay competitive and meet customer expectations. This involves adopting new technologies, such as cloud computing and artificial intelligence.

2.?They need to prioritize customer experience and satisfaction. By leveraging data analytics and insights, they can better understand customer needs and preferences, leading to improved products, services and targeted marketing strategies.

3.? Collaborating with industry players can help them expand their service offerings, improve network capabilities, drive innovation and tap into new revenue streams.

4.??Building and maintaining a robust network infrastructure is crucial for telcos. They need to invest in upgrading their networks to support the increasing demand for high-speed connectivity, especially with the rise of 5G technology and the Internet of Things (IoT).

5.?Telcos will need to focus on network security, as the increased number of connected devices and data traffic will make networks more vulnerable to cyber-attacks. With the growing dependence on digital connectivity, network reliability and resilience have become critical for Telcos.

6.?The need for telcos to invest in technologies such as network slicing and edge computing to ensure their networks are robust and can handle the increasing data traffic.

7.?While the buzz around AI continues to grow, it is imperative to remember that its advantages should not overshadow the ethical and regulatory hurdles it presents. It is crucial to consider its responsible use for the greater good of humanity and individuals, with a focus on privacy protection.

About Us:

Wireless Federation is a Telecoms Research & Advisory Conglomerate HQ in London, UK focused on helping Digital Service providers, and Regulators, profit in the connected Digital economy with evolving business models. For the last 2 decades, WF has been supporting 500 + Telcos, and 75 regulatory bodies as a research, knowledge and training partner.

The Mandate of WF is to provide its Telco customers with learning and best practices of what other Telcos are doing globally so you won't have to re-invent the wheel.