Day one sees innovative launches, inspiring speakers, sign language 
interpretation and insights from the GSMA's Mobile Economy Report 

BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The world's largest and most 
influential connectivity event opens its doors today at the Fira Gran Via in 
Barcelona. MWC22 Barcelona will build on the success of last year, reflecting 
on a new era of connectivity and collaboration across the mobile industry.

This week at MWC22 Barcelona will see many exciting announcements, including an 
automotive launch, with Fisker's unveiling of the new all-electric Ocean SUV. 
Monday's speaker line-up also delivers compelling keynotes from AT&T, China 
Mobile, China Telecom, China Unicom, Millicom, Telstra, Telefonica, Telia 
Company and Vodafone. 

Opening MWC22 Barcelona with a keynote address, Mats Granryd, Director General 
of GSMA, said: "We are delighted to see vibrancy return to Barcelona this year 
as we convene, collaborate and do business. This edition of MWC provides a 
collective opportunity to showcase how the digital ecosystem transforms lives 
and supports global recovery through the power of mobile technology." 

This year's theme, Connectivity Unleashed, showcases the power of mobile 
technology in our everyday lives and explores the ground-breaking technologies 
that will shape industry and society. Connectivity is now intelligently 
transforming industries as the world moves from simple connectivity to 
meaningful connectivity. With exceptional speakers lined up, exciting product 
launches, the launch of the GSMA's Global Mobile Economy Report 2022, and the 
all-new Industry City.

"The doors are now open! Our attendees will experience more than 1500 
exhibitors and have access to more than 1000 speakers, plus entrepreneurs, 
rebels, and people doing the extraordinary," said John Hoffman, CEO GSMA Ltd. 
"We are on a journey to digital everything, and MWC22 is the place to be to 
experience what that means."

For the first time at MWC, live universal sign language interpretation (SLI) 
will be provided at all keynotes, Diversity4Tech sessions, and the Mobile for 
Development (M4D) session 'Reaching Underserved Population Segments' at 4YFN 
(Four Years From Now), the GSMA's leading start-up and innovation event. The 
SLI will be provided in person by partner DeafTawk. The interpretation has been 
made possible by funding DeafTawk secured from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & 
Development Office (FCDO) and GSMA Innovation Fund for Assistive Tech.

Global Mobile Economy Report 2022 confirms continued 5G momentum

Launching today, the annual Global Mobile Economy Report reveals continued 
momentum in 5G adoption, with the total number of 5G connections expected to 
reach 1 billion in 2022, as usage grows rapidly in pioneer markets. 

The report highlights the mobile industry's instrumental role in extending 
connectivity to people worldwide. In the last decade, network infrastructure 
investment by operators shrunk the coverage gap from a third of the global 
population to just 6%, but there is more to be done.

The adoption of mobile internet services has not kept pace with the expansion 
of network coverage. Despite living within the footprint of a mobile broadband 
network, 3.2 billion people, or 41% of the global population, are not using the 
mobile internet. The reasons for this usage gap vary by region and include lack 
of affordability and skills. These barriers to mobile internet adoption impact 
the most vulnerable segments of the population, including women, the elderly, 
people in rural areas, and persons with disabilities. 

Other key findings include:

By the end of 2025, 5G will account for around a quarter of total mobile 
connections, and more than two in five people worldwide will live within reach 
of a 5G network. 
In 2021, mobile technologies and services generated $4.5 trillion of economic 
value, equating to 5% of global GDP. The report predicts that this will grow to 
$5 trillion in 2025. 
As 5G adoption accelerates in leading markets such as China, South Korea, and 
the US, 4G begins to decline. Globally, 4G adoption will account for 55% of 
total connections by 2025, down from a peak of 58% in 2021. 
But 4G still has room to grow in most developing markets. For example, in 
Sub-Saharan Africa, 4G adoption is below a fifth of total connections. 
5.3% billion people subscribed to mobile services, representing 67% of the 
global population, by the end of 2021. 
In a growing number of markets, most adults now own a mobile phone, meaning 
that future growth will come from younger populations taking out a mobile 
subscription for the first time.
The report also highlights the vital role that mobile technology will play in 
accelerating progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) ahead of the 
UN's deadline in 2030. These include increasing access to education, healthcare 
and addressing poverty and inequality. Additionally, the report outlines a set 
of policy recommendations for achieving a resilient post-pandemic recovery. 
This involves investing in digital skills training, utilising public funds for 
connectivity, adopting a balanced approach to collecting revenues through taxes 
and fees in the mobile sector, and prioritising digital transformation in 
government services. 

The GSMA Ministerial Programme is back 

The GSMA Ministerial Programme welcomes more than 160 international delegations 
participating in this year's discussions to support the SDGs and other critical 
issues. Senior policymakers, regulators, industry leaders and government 
officials will discuss closing the digital gap, meeting global climate targets, 
building policies for a digital world, and maximising the potential of 5G.

Accelerating industry collaboration and 5G transformation

Industry City has opened its doors for the first time. Co-delivered with 
Knowledge Partner, Accenture the exhibit showcases demos from the FinTech, 
Manufacturing, and Automotive sectors. It also hosts a range of Summits 
covering robotics and smart mobility topics.

Visitors to Industry City can also explore the GSMA Pavilion and the GSMA 
Foundry Forge, the go-to place for cross-industry collaboration and positive 
change. At the GSMA Foundry, attendees can see demos and learn about the latest 
projects, including an autonomous drone flight powered by AI and live-streamed 
over a 5G network.

Addressing societal issues

Championing greater diversity in the technology industry, the Diversity4Tech 
Summit also kicked off today and includes talks, panels, awards, and a 
roundtable to accelerate transformation and inclusion – inspiring attendees to 
demonstrate leadership on the issue.

MWC22 Barcelona will, for the seventh year in a row, be a carbon-neutral event 
again – certified by AENOR International. Mobile was the first industry to 
commit to achieving net-zero by 2050, and GSMA's commitment extends to MWC22 
Barcelona.

Tomorrow's programme includes keynote sessions featuring Adam Selipsky, CEO, 
Amazon Web Services; Shuky Sheffer, President & CEO, Amdocs; Hon. Ms. Jessica 
Rosenworcel, Chairwoman, FCC; Guo Ping, Rotating Chairman, Huawei; Cher Wang, 
Chairperson & CEO, HTC; Cristiano Amon, President & CEO, Qualcomm; Pekka 
Lundmark, President & CEO, Nokia; and Prem Akkaraju, CEO, Weta Digital. 

Register for MWC22 Barcelona here.

About GSMA

The GSMA is a global organisation unifying the mobile ecosystem to discover, 
develop and deliver innovation foundational to positive business environments 
and societal change. Our vision is to unlock the full power of connectivity so 
that people, industry, and society thrive. Representing mobile operators and 
organisations across the mobile ecosystem and adjacent industries, the GSMA 
delivers for its members across three broad pillars: Connectivity for Good, 
Industry Services and Solutions, and Outreach. This activity includes advancing 
policy, tackling today's biggest societal challenges, underpinning the 
technology and interoperability that make mobile work, and providing the 
world's largest platform to convene the mobile ecosystem at the MWC and M360 
series of events.

We invite you to find out more at gsma.com.

Media Contacts: 

GSMA Press Office 
pressoffice@gsma.com

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