MWC Barcelona: A Center-stage to showcase our eSIM solutions capabilities.

The mission of establishing Glowing Bud is to contribute to the successful implementation and execution of eSIM technology across devices worldwide, and what better place to fulfill our mission than at MWC Barcelona. We had the pleasure of meeting the best eSIM service and product providers from over 200 countries, and it was a pure joy and wisdom gained from the experience.

From February 27 to March 2, 2023, our Vice President of Business & Growth, Siddhartha Roy, attended the MWC Event 2023 in Fira Barcelona. These days were filled with conversations, brainstorming sessions, multiple coffee meetings, and enthusiastic closures for us.

Day 1 to Day 4 at MWC – the speakers, workshops, breathtaking gadgets, eSIM innovations and more

Despite the chilly -4°C weather on Day 1, Barcelona's scenic beauty and cultural heritage made us feel warm and cozy.

The Fira de Barcelona convention center was fully prepared to welcome 88,000 attendees over the next four days with its state-of-the-art architecture, impressive line-up of mobile technology enthusiasts, and influential keynote speeches.

Breathing the air filled with anticipation and excitement, attendees were seen hustling and bustling to grab the opportunity of meeting innovators, try out the new technologies, meet their potential Venture Capitalist and just getting to know each other for networking.

Our team's first move was to grab a coffee, take a quick glance at the event, and then hop onto their preset meetings with leaders and innovators in the telecom ecosystem.

The lively event, themed as "Velocity," hosted different verticals, including 5G, AI, public policy, and the fair share debate, as well as cross-sector collaborations, such as the GSMA's Open Gateway initiative."

Here are some of our favorite experiences from the event which we could witness:

• Unveil of new & more promising brand image of Nokia

At MWC Barcelona 2023, Nokia CEO Pekka Lundmark launched the company's new logo and asserted that the new brand identity aims to establish the iconic brand as a leader in networks and industrial digitalization, as well as a premium mobile phone provider.

In addition, Nokia announced their contribution to removing plastic from the world's oceans by providing private wireless connectivity, edge equipment, and software analytics to The Ocean Cleanup, an international NGO working towards the mission.

• Innovation delivered by the Mobile technology leaders

Mobile technology leaders are leaving no stone unturned when it comes to offering innovation in the mobile and connectivity world. Many collaborations were announced at the event to accelerate the future growth of the industry.

ZTE Corporation, a global leading provider of information and communication technology solutions, signed an MOU with AIS, Thailand's largest mobile carrier, to jointly build the world's first 3D•AI tablet - Nubia Pad 3D. This tablet features embedded technology that enables fully eyewear-free immersive 3D calling, streaming, and gaming experiences.

The rollable concept devices were the major attraction at the event, with Motorola unveiling its latest innovative device - the Moto Rizr.

Huawei launched the industry's first 50G POL prototype at the event to enable customers to build green, simple, and smart campus networks. This prototype uses next-generation Wi-Fi 7 to deliver an air interface rate of 18.67 Gbit/s and enables smart teaching practices through cloud-edge synergy.

Combination technology of AR and VR for an elevated Mixed Reality (XR) experience

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality technologies are always crowd magnets at tech events, and MWC was no exception.

The event showcased an elevated mixed reality (XR) experience that leverages the combined power of AR and VR technology.

Oppo announced its second-generation mixed reality device, the Air Glass. It features a concealed, reflective display that overlays virtual elements on top of real-life to show the time, weather, or smartphone notifications.

Our team had the opportunity to experience SK Telecom's stunning VR Urban Air Mobility Simulator, which made us feel like we were living our video game obsession.

Tuya Smart, a global IoT development platform service provider, showcased their Tuya-enabled products at the event, including an e-scooter, a smart delivery box, Smart Hearing Aid: Over the Counter (OTC) Earphones, and smartwatches.

• Driving awareness of the consumer eSIM & frictionless communication

Global telcos face the challenge of effectively communicating the benefits of eSIM adoption to consumers. However, awareness of eSIM technology has increased significantly in recent years thanks to the trend towards frictionless customer experience (CX) through instant, remote onboarding.

To provide coverage in hard-to-reach areas, new phone-to-satellite messaging services and direct-to-device (D2D) technology were introduced at the event.

• Deutsche Telekom shared their plans to develop satellite-capable Internet of Things (IoT) services.
• VEON and OneWeb announced their partnership to offer mobile connectivity in rural areas.
• Seamless satellite communication capabilities through Snapdragon Satellite platform were announced by smartphone brands Honor, Motorola, Oppo, Vivo, and Xiaomi.
• Driving awareness of the consumer eSIM & frictionless communication

Global telcos face the challenge of effectively communicating the benefits of eSIM adoption to consumers. However, awareness of eSIM technology has increased significantly in recent years thanks to the trend towards frictionless customer experience (CX) through instant, remote onboarding.

To provide coverage in hard-to-reach areas, new phone-to-satellite messaging services and direct-to-device (D2D) technology were introduced at the event.

• Deutsche Telekom shared their plans to develop satellite-capable Internet of Things (IoT) services.
• VEON and OneWeb announced their partnership to offer mobile connectivity in rural areas.
• Seamless satellite communication capabilities through Snapdragon Satellite platform were announced by smartphone brands Honor, Motorola, Oppo, Vivo, and Xiaomi.

Glowing Bud’s successful collaboration with Telecoms, adjacent industries and eSIM enablers

Glowing Bud is one of the requisite links between eSIM Technology and its digital counterpart. As MWC was full of opportunities that leverage the future of Mobiles, connectivity and most recently, eSIM, GB takes it as its responsibility to be there.

Our team met with some amazing people in the field of Telecommunication, travel solutions, eSIM distributors and others working in the providing IoT services. And it was so thrilling to see how our eSIM subscription management products and custom digital services fit appropriately in the new world of embedded SIM devices.

We were able to network with many startups, who were seeking a holistic solution for their establishment. We could collaborate to enable their processes, right from infrastructural setup to providing them the foundational digital platform for their eSIM-enabled business.

We will be sharing more about our collaborations in our upcoming blogs and case studies.

About GSMA, the ones behind MWC events

MWC (Mobile World Congress) is a mega event hosted annually by GSMA (Global System for Mobile Association) that brings together the mobile communication industry since its inception in 1987. The goal of GSMA is to unify the mobile ecosystem, enabling contributors to discover, develop, and deliver innovation, leading to positive business environments and societal change.

The history of GSMA dates back to 1987 when a MoU was signed with 13 operators in 12 countries to practice the GSM guidelines in mobile services. Over time, it has established three pillars: Connectivity for Good, Industry Services and Solutions, and Outreach.

We are looking forward to being a part of MWC events again and contributing to our highest potential in the advancement of the Mobile Connectivity World.