MWC22: 5G, IoT and other highlights from Mobile World Congress

After a difficult two years, including delayed and cancelled events, Mobile World Congress – one of the world’s biggest tech events – was back in full flow in Spain this week.

In 2019, the GSMA recorded over 110,000 attendees at its flagship telecoms exhibition. This year, the mobile industry body claimed numbers were likely to be nearer to 60,000, but the halls in Barcelona’s Fira Gran Via were packed full of delegates and executives.

TechInformed was on the ground talking with major executives and covering key panel sessions. Here, we look at some of the key takeaways after a busy week in Catalonia.

5G (and use cases)

If there was one overarching theme at the entire show, it was around 5G. The fifth generation of mobile technology has been here for a few years, but many countries saw major deployments during the pandemic.

According to a report published by MWC’s organisers, the GSMA, the total number of 5G connections globally is forecast to reach 1 billion this year and 2 billion by 2025 – proof that 5G is going mainstream.

In Barcelona, that was the clear message, with almost every stand, every announcement, and every keynote mentioning 5G.

After years of 5G promises, it was refreshing to finally see the technology delivering some viable solutions.

For regular attendees, this isn’t new. 5G has been the hot topic in Barcelona for at least the last five years, but what made it stand out this year was the demonstration of some significant, key use cases.

The internet of things was one of the key channels used to demonstrate 5G. On Telefonica’s stand, there were several robots, powered by 5G networks, which aimed to demonstrate 5G use cases (although some looked more like a scene out of Netflix TV show Black Mirror).

French telco Orange showed off a 5G network that allowed users in Barcelona to drive a model car all the way back in Paris, to demonstrate the low latency benefits of 5G.

There were a lot of industry related demonstrations, too, whether it be drones for factory lines or private networks for deep mining, all powered by 5G.

After years of 5G promises, it was refreshing to finally see the technology delivering some viable solutions.

Private networks

Sticking with 5G, it is worth highlighting one of the key uses cases on show at Mobile World Congress – Private 5G Networks.

Now, the idea of enterprises paying telecoms companies for their own private network is hardly new – MPLS networks have been in operation for decades, and while the technology may have shifted (to wireless, fibre and SD-WAN), the principle is the same: sometimes a public network does not offer the security or capacity needed to support an enterprise’s needs.

In the mobile space, some industries have already bought spectrum in recent auctions in to build their own radio services. But what was significant at MWC was the conversation around using the capabilities built into 5G – such as network slicing – to facilitate private networks for businesses.

This would mean, for example, that a manufacturer could take a slice of a telco’s 5G spectrum to run its own network to support an array of robots and IoT devices in its factory without spending the vast amounts needed to build a telecoms network and acquire the expertise and spectrum needed to support it.

Ericsson, for example, launched its own Dedicated Network solution that sees it partner with telcos and industry specific integrators to develop purpose-built solutions for industries like manufacturing, ports, mining, airports and energy going through change driven by digitalization. So are its telco vendor rivals, such as Samsung and Nokia.

Orange, Vodafone, Telstra, Verizon and MTS are just some of the big-name telcos who were chatting about the topic at MWC – showing just how big the industry thinks it will be for enterprises.

The metaverse

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the metaverse was everywhere at MWC. Well, sort of.

Many of the exhibitors in Barcelona were promoting metaverse solutions, or talking about the next version of the internet, or the evolution of virtual reality, and so on, but there was a distinct lack of actual clarity on what the metaverse is.

Has there ever been so many conversations, panels, and promotions with such little substance? What compounded this was the reframing of VR/AR solutions that had featured at previous MWCs as “metaverse experiences”. Several telecoms companies and manufacturers were guilty of this. One metaverse roller-coaster experience put on display by a mobile network operator was remarkably like a VR roller-coaster experience a vendor had featured at MWC 2018.

The problem with this, of course, is that it muddies the water of what the actual metaverse is, or what it will be. That’s not to say all metaverse experiences lacked value. At an HTC demonstration, I was introduced to their “Viveverse” platform, which aims to act as an on-ramp to other metaverses – sort of the role a web browser plays on our current internet experience.

As the maker of VR headsets, HTC had a lot on the metaverse but, to its credit, the company shied away from trying to offer the all-encompassing, bells and whistles approach being offered elsewhere. Rather, they talked about collaboration.

My takeaway was that, like 5G at previous MWCs, the metaverse still lacks applications that will really make it thrive. Perhaps in a few years, it will follow the same path.

Telco to tech-co

When I was a telecoms journalist, one of the biggest fears telecoms executives would tell me of was the commoditisation of telecoms services. As the heads of major businesses, they feared becoming just suppliers of connectivity, which was increasingly being viewed as a utility.

Covid-19 has seen a major transformation in how we work, increasing the need for strong and stable connectivity and tools for working remotely. With this, mobile and fixed connectivity has become hugely important – and is now seen, alongside water and electricity, as a key utility.

At MWC, the key challenge operators told me of was transitioning their businesses to offer services that are underpinned by the connectivity they provide. This isn’t new, of course, but it is becoming even more imperative.

We saw some examples of this, which is effectively the transition of telecoms providers into technology companies. Vodafone, for example, talks about “revamping its operations with a view toward efficiency and agility while developing a differentiated, technology-driven value proposition that leverages key 5G, IoT platform and edge capabilities.”

It is a change in approach fraught with danger. A McKinsey report released prior to MWC warned that “a quarter of operators’ new ventures struggle” to find growth, and for another quarter of new offerings, profitability remains low.

Why does this matter? Because as telcos find themselves going up against the hyperscalers and systems integrators, they need to find their feet. But – as one executive told me – they have “credibility” in networking that other firms may lack. By partnering with the right companies, telcos are hoping to play a key role in business transformation and digitisation. It’s a big mountain to climb, but the rewards at the top are shiny indeed.

It’s good to be back

This is less of a technology trend, but this was one of (if not) the biggest tech conferences since the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2020 and the feeling around the halls of the Fira was very positive.

The coronavirus pandemic has been extremely challenging for so many people and businesses, so the opportunity to meet face-to-face, catch up with colleagues and acquaintances, and eat, drink, and celebrate was welcomed by all.

Not to say that the pandemic wasn’t present – face masks were a requirement, and reminders of social distancing everywhere – but it felt like a slice of normality after so much disruption.

Undoubtedly, there will be some questions around whether it is the right time to hold a major tech conference or even safe to do so. With the shadow of events in Ukraine also lurking (and notable absences from many Russian companies) it could have been a very solemn event.

Instead, people embraced (figuratively) the opportunity to enjoy walking the halls, seeing new technology, and conducting positive meetings, like it was 2019 all over again.