UPDATE: GSM Association, or GSMA, has today released an official statement saying that the organization isn’t collaborating with COAI to organize the massive mobile fiesta in India. This development comes as a disappointment because the addition of GSMA as the supporters added weight to the trade show. The full statement reads as under:
Contrary to media reports, the GSMA is not collaborating with COAI in the development of the India Mobile Congress scheduled to take place in September.
The GSMA produces industry-leading events such as Mobile World Congress, Mobile World Congress Shanghai, Mobile World Congress Americas and the Mobile 360 Series of conferences, including Mobile 360 – India, which will be held in New Delhi, 14-15 November, 2017.
PREVIOUSLY: Mobile World Congress organized annually in Barcelona is the largest smartphone-focused fiesta on the planet. This year’s trade show wrapped up just last week and we were taking a little breather when jolted back to life with this surprising revelation. Yes, the headline says it all. And it is definitely true. India is organizing its own MWC this year.
The dazzle of this extravagant event is about to land in India as it organizes the first-ever mobile congress in September 2017. The IMC (or Indian Mobile Congress) initiative is being led by Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) with support from Department of Telecom and the Ministry of Electronics and IT. The latter emphasizing the importance of organizing such a large-scale trade show to bridge the gap in the South-east Asian market and boosting our economy.
Talking about this development, COAI Director General Rajan S Mathews says,
There is Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and an edition in Shanghai. There is nothing in between for South East Asia. India is emerging as one of the global leaders in telecom which we will also showcase in the Indian Mobile Congress.
Further, the Indian Mobile Congress is being backed by the organizers of the annual Mobile World Congress. GSM Association, widely known as GSMA, has agreed to associate with COAI in the organization of this three-day mobile technology fiesta in the country. This initiative will further the prospects of the already attractive and growing Indian smartphone market.
Also, this will an opportunity for us to get a first-hand look at the latest innovations from tech giants like Facebook, Huawei, Ericsson, Cisco, and others. Indian mobile and hardware companies will also participate in this fiesta. To further the monstrosity up a notch, the Indian government has held talks with British and Swedish Trade Ministers for their support and engagement in the IMC. Continuing to talk about the same, Mathews adds,
We have held a meeting with official representatives of other governments as well. We have asked other Indian business association to come together and be part of it. The event will focus on knowledge sharing, exhibition, start-ups, skill development and all pillars of Digital India including Make in India.
The three-day Indian Mobile Congress will be organized at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi, starting September 27. There is currently no information on when the registration process for the said mobile trade show will begin. But, we would still suggest you to start gearing up to witness the latest mobile and network technologies. The Mobile Congress wouldn’t be as awe-inspiring if it was just about mobile devices, thus, showcasing advancements in other fields (5G, Wi-Fi, chips or camera) is also necessary.
