MWC brings innovation and income to Barcelona

The Mobile World Congress, which opens its doors at the Fira Gran Via exhibition center in Barcelona on Monday, will once again present the latest developments in mobile technology to the World.

Around 2,100 exhibitors will be on hand and an estimated 95,000 people are expected to pass through the doors for an event which has become an annual windfall for the city, bringing in around 460 million euros (approx. 510 million U.S. dollars) in income, creating 13,000 temporary jobs and leading to almost 100 percent hotel occupancy in a week when hotels are able to charge twice their normal February rates.

However, MWC is all about the new technology and the chances to meet, greet and carry out networking opportunities.

Companies such as Google, Huawei, Microsoft, NEC, Nokia, Samsung, SK Telcom and Sony, will all present new innovations in areas from network infrastructures, handsets and devices to applications.

Meanwhile the MWC also hosts over 30 national or regional pavilions and exhibits which focus on specific technology areas, such as mobile money, wearables and green technology.

Of ever increased interest at the event is the Smart/Innovation city, which year after year demonstrates how mobile technology plays an increasing role in everyday lives in an ever-more connected world.

The Innovated World contains such exhibits as a connected airliner, which offers an interactive virtual reality experience (VR is another of the hot-topics in MWC 2016), while the logistical zone shows how lost suitcases will soon be a thing of the past as mobile technology allows items to be tracked all around the world.

Mobile tracking is also being used in areas such as agriculture, while MWC 2016 aims to demonstrate how cars and even bicycles are becoming increasingly connected: something bicycle thieves should start to worry about!

MWC is also about people and as always the MWC 2016 features a host of keynote speakers from industry heavyweights such as Matt Zuckerman, China Mobile Chairman, Shang Bing and Hans Vestberg, the President and CEO of Ericson.

They will discuss a host of topics such as 'Mobile is connected living," 'Mobile is disruption', as well as Mobile in Media and issues regarding security in the mobile era.

MWC also features a section on Connected Women, which includes speakers such as Cherie Blair and which will look at issues such as "Women Leadership in the Digital Age" and Connected Women in Technology."

All of this will come with the chance to see innovations demonstrated on the "Showcase Stage," making the MWC the window into the present and future of mobile technology for another year. Endit