Cutting-edge technologies give a glimpse of mobile’s future

Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg talking about giving free Internet to two thirds of the world, Jamii Telecom founder Joshua Chepkwony walking through the halls of Fira Gran Via in Barcelona looking for the next big thing, musician and entrepreneur Will.i.am forecasting the future of entertainment or former president Thabo Mbeki giving a keynote.
These are some of the people you might have bumped into at the 2015 Mobile World Congress (MWC) which was hosted in eight halls at a venue which is about nine times the size of the KICC’s plenary hall.

Buzzwords roll off the tongue easily here. It is not alien to many of the participants, what with the many multi-level huge stands and other excesses.

The four-day exhibition held on March 2 to 5 attracted executives from the world’s largest mobile operators, software companies, equipment providers, Internet companies and firms from automotive, finance and healthcare.

Connected cars

At the Broadcast Village, the inimitable business anchor Richard Quest nods off as a producer edits a package. Nearby, crowds jostle for a picture with a Maserati Qauttroporte running Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processors that also comes with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and 4G modems.

Audi, Ford, Volvo, BMW and every other car manufacturer wants in on the connected car craze.

“A growing number of vehicle manufacturers are supporting connected in-car entertainment services, but developments in m-commerce are still at an early stage,” a note from the analyst house Ovum said.

“I probably can’t meet with all the car companies that are calling,” says Ericsson senior vice president Ulf Ewadsson. “They’re transforming their industry and there’s a serious drive for change.”

5G roll-out

At the Swedish farm’s expansive corner at the MWC, a Danish water pumps manufacturer Grundfos is showing off a ‘water ATM’ it is piloting in 40 locations in Kenya using pre-paid cards.

Just two metres away at a purpose-built stage fit for a rock concert, Ericsson president Hans Vestberg had just made bold projections about such diverse subjects as the future of traffic management and 5G.

“Seventy per cent of the world’s population will have mobile broadband coverage in 2015,” he says.

Unrelated, but illustrating that projection, the Chinese firm Huawei signed a deal with Ghanaian firm Surfline to roll out 4G services across the West African nation two days later.

As Ghana rolls out 4G commercially, Safaricom just announced a small-scale pilot in Nairobi as the world is discussing 5G.

Save money

“Certain countries are very keen on having something ready for roll-out in 2020, especially because of the Olympics,” says 5G expert Eric Dahlman.

But what will all the ubiquitous connectivity of the future do?

“The Internet of Things (IoT) is transforming family life through the wireless connection of devices in the home, such as smart meters and security systems, helping to save money and increase peace of mind,” notes GSMA in a new report.

GSMA organises MWC and tries to make sense of tomorrow’s mobile technology. It is the kind of technology driving away Mr Quest’s viewers from TV to their mobile phones and tablets.

“By 2020, 50 per cent of all TV content will be consumed on demand, and 50 per cent will be consumed from non-traditional devices,” predicts researcher Thorsten Sauer.

To be at MWC is a bit like to simultaneously experience 10 different national music festivals, drop in on all the courses at the University of Nairobi and watch three TV channels all at once. Despite this confusing muchness, it’s popularity keeps growing and visitor numbers were up nine per cent in 2015.

It promises cheerfully as you leave; see you next year!

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