“This global event is conducive to sharing and discussing opinions and experiences with our peers, partners, and all players within our ecosystems.”
From 25 to 28 February, the Fira Grand Via conference centre in Barcelona will host the 2019 Mobile World Congress (MWC). Mobile operators, manufacturers, and innovators of all types will meet there to exhibit their new products, discuss upcoming trends and their solutions to mobility and connectivity challenges. In keeping with its commitment during previous editions, Orange will serve as both exhibitor and speaker. GSMA’s new chairman Stéphane Richard will deliver the keynote address for this year’s congress on the theme “Intelligently Connecting the World”. His main focus will be on the role of operators as digital economy drivers and network technology pioneers.
Towards pervasive mobile connectivity
This year, in addition to network modernisation and digital transformation, 5G deployment will dominate discussions. It is likely that we will witness the launch of the maiden 5G devices. Orange, for its part, will be sharing the results of its tests with industry peers and the media. With speeds ten times faster than those of current mobile networks, 5G will meet the inevitable need for greater speeds and larger bandwidth, a glimpse of which today’s usage has already afforded us from ultra-HD videos, streaming, virtual and augmented reality to the Internet of Things. In 2019, Orange will roll out pilot projects in 17 countries and deploy the network in 17 European cities.
An ever-expanding IoT and AI presence
The IoT and Artificial Intelligence will be MWC’s two other major themes. “AI’s scope of application is vast. We want AI that is well-thought-out, useful, and available to all; AI that serves both people and society,” says Mari-Noëlle Jégo-Laveissière, Orange’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Chief Technology and Global Innovation Officer. “AI already has very tangible applications. With Djingo, our virtual assistant, we are developing AI that understands, interprets, and responds to customers through certain apps like Orange Bank, and soon through a connected speaker and new TV remote. Djingo’s AI is therefore rendering services more accessible and making life easier for our customers.”
What’s more, the IoT revolution has already begun and holds the promise of making life easier for users, while affording them greater peace of mind.
According to Orange, the Internet of Things must be useful and tailored to many different needs (of the home, cities, business). It must also be transmitted over secure and reliable networks and on devices that are environmentally-friendly and in tune with the needs of each individual.
Co-construction is the only way to grow the ecosystem
MWC is a great opportunity for all industry players to get together and talk with one another: discussions involving all partners are numerous.
Orange, for its part, is building its innovations in collaboration with a number of different ecosystem partners: operators within GSMA, several industry players involved in IoT and networks… start-ups and, more broadly, all those helping to build the world of tomorrow.
“The Mobile World Congress is an opportunity to showcase our latest innovations and assess how mature the technologies we’re following are. It’s an indispensable chance to talk to all players in the ecosystem,” concludes Mari-Noëlle Jégo-Laveissière.
