MWC 18 Barcelona Final Report

GSMA Intelligence
Mobile World Congress 2018 wrap-up
March 2018
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3 • GSMA Intelligence Mobile World Congress 2018 wrap-up
Executive summary
MWC 2018: taking the temperature of the mobile ecosystem
The 2018 edition of Mobile World Congress welcomed more than
107,000 visitors to Barcelona for the biggest event in the mobile
industry. While the temperatures outside were unusually chilly,
what was hot inside the halls was less surprising, with 5G and AI
dominating. There was also lively, sometimes heated, discussion on
how to ensure mobile can continue to fuel innovation, transform
industry and impact people’s lives for the better.
We present our key messages from MWC over the next few pages,
but several broader themes run across much of this analysis and
point the way for the industry as it continues to transform:
• Getting real: 5G has been gathering momentum for some time,
and we’re now seeing concrete deployment plans alongside
more practical demonstrations of use cases. But there was also
something of a reality check around the inherent challenges
of evolving the network for 5G to meet the needs of vertical
industries. Meanwhile, in IoT, there’s recognition that the
business case actually revolves around addressing specific
needs rather than simply providing connectivity.
• Getting together: The need for collaboration ran across several
streams this year. Examples included alliances to serve vertical
industries; partnerships to bring solutions to the expanding
smart home market; and industry-wide collaboration to
bring safe and reliable smart-city deployments. Co-operation
continues to be key across and beyond the ecosystem.
• Getting better: Creating a better future was the theme of
MWC18. Industry leaders provided ample inspiration on how
connectivity can create new drivers of economic growth, and
how the industry can help make communities healthier and
stronger. But the debate continues as to how to ensure the right
investment climate and regulatory environment to underpin
such development going forward.
Topics
Future networks............4
Consumer.........................6
Emerging tech................8
Internet of Things.........10
Policy and regulation...12
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2
3
4
5

Future networks: 5G early deployment plans
With the first commercial 5G launches scheduled for the end of 2018
and into 2019, 5G once again dominated the floors of this year’s MWC.
While some of the same concerns around regulation, investment and
use cases were evident, we also saw operators shed light on their
early deployment plans. This served to reinforce which markets are
leading the pack, and those that are following.
Key points
• T-Mobile outlined plans to roll out 5G-ready equipment across
30 US cities in 2018, with launch scheduled for 2019.
• Sprint named the first six cities where it will roll out Massive
MIMO during 2018, as a “bridge” to its 5G launch in the first half
of 2019.
• US FCC chairman Ajit Pai announced a desire to hold two high-
frequency spectrum auctions (in 24 GHz and 28 GHz bands) by
the end of 2018.
• Telstra outlined its early 5G roadmap, which included details
of further evolution of its 4G network ahead of its 5G launch in
2019.
• Swisscom announced plans to launch mobile 5G services by the
end of 2018.
• Huawei CEO Ken Hu said the company had signed 5G
memorandums of understanding with 45 operators in Asia,
Europe and North America, and is already conducting pre-
commercial trials with 30 mobile players.
Viewpoint: US looks set to be a leading market in the 5G era
US operators were by far the most vocal on 5G at MWC this year,
with T-Mobile and Sprint taking to the stage to outline their initial
plans, detailing the various cities across the US that they will be
targeting in early deployments. This follows announcements earlier
in the year by both AT&T and Verizon, who both affirmed their desire
to be the first to launch 5G services in the market. In FCC Chairman
Ajit Pai mobile operators have an advocate. Pai used his keynote to
announce two high-frequency spectrum auctions at the end of this
year, and will follow that up over the coming months to propose how
C-band spectrum will be made available.
The hyper-competitive nature of the US market at this key juncture
bodes well for the rapid deployment of 5G services. T-Mobile’s CTO
Neville Ray indicated that during 2018 it would be deploying 5G in 30
cities using both low- and high-frequency spectrum, while Sprint’s
CTO John Saw revealed that it will be rolling out Massive MIMO
across its 2.5 GHz footprint, reaching tens of thousands of sites in
2019 – all of which will be software upgradeable to 5G. This reaffirms
GSMA Intelligence’s aggressive forecast for the market – that half of
US connections (excluding cellular IoT) will be utilising 5G networks
by 2025.
By contrast, European operators are behind the curve in their 5G
intent. Beyond Swisscom aggressively targeting 2018 for launch, the
bulk of European operators are still announcing trials – for example,
Deutsche Telekom’s “virtual fibre” (fixed wireless access). Nokia
CEO Rajeev Suri pulled no punches when he claimed that “while the
Nordic countries are also moving quickly, operators in Europe are
being the slowest and we don’t expect any real progress here with
5G in the short term.”
1

Future networks: enabling 5G use cases
As the industry ramps up for impending 5G deployments, an elephant
in the room remains – the need to enable credible enterprise use
cases, to justify incremental 5G investment. A key component of this
is the growing “softwarisation” of the network, with MWC this year
showing growing momentum behind the drive for open network
architectures, the need to apply AI and machine learning across the
network, and the imperative to build security into the 5G standard.
Key points
• A group of operators, vendors and vertical industry players
announced the formation of the 5G Slicing Association, which
will look to address vertical industry requirements, build use
cases and business models, and work with standards bodies.
• AT&T, China Mobile, Deutsche Telekom, NTT DoCoMo and
Orange announced the creation of the ORAN Alliance, a
combination and extension of the objectives of the C-RAN
Alliance and xRAN Forum.
• A group of UK universities demonstrated the world’s first
end-to-end 5G network, highlighting the capabilities of the
technology.
• Huawei announced the first commercial end-to-end terminal
device to meet the 3GPP standard for 5G, signalling ambitious
commercial rollouts of the technology.
Viewpoint: Considerable complexity remains in enabling new 5G
use cases
Around the halls of MWC, there were plenty of 5G demonstrations,
but little substance to suggest that use cases over and above those
linked to enhanced mobile broadband will hit the mainstream anytime
soon. Though there were encouraging developments of practical 5G
use cases, a myriad of challenges needs to be overcome before they
become a reality.
The talk this year was of the need to build more intelligent networks
to handle not only the growth in traffic that 5G will bring, but also
the varying requirements of each packet that hits the network – from
those serving connected IoT devices to low latency use cases. This
incorporates a range of capabilities not specific to 5G but crucial to its
development, including software-defined networking, virtualisation,
edge computing, and the ability to implement AI and machine
learning within the network. Nokia’s CTO of Mobile Networks, Henri
Tervonen, claimed “AI needs to be in every node of the network”
to ensure resilience and to provide vital applications such as self-
healing and repair.
Industry collaboration was also a key theme, both in terms of
formulating approaches to serving vertical industries (the 5G Slicing
Association) and building open networks to help drive service
innovation (the ORAN Alliance). In opening up networks, however,
operators must be able to address security concerns. Stephen
Buck, Product Director of Evolved Intelligence, warned that while
most things have improved generation to generation, security has
worsened, is impossible to retrofit within a standard, and therefore
must be addressed in the next 5G standard release.
1
It is not a case of simply flicking
a switch in 2019”
Robyn Denholm, Telstra COO
“

Consumer: the experience of tomorrow
WiththefocusofMWCmovingawayfromhardwarethisyear,attention
shifted to how people will interact with technology. With consumers
becoming increasingly connected, and with the emergence of
increasingly tech-savvy generations, the future consumer experience
will be more immersive, interactive and personalised.
Key points
• HTC Vive and Guardian VR predicted that consumers will soon
use AR in all aspects of their lives, from shopping and travel
experiences to learning and industry. AR was also described as
the future interface for AI.
• AI will play an integral role in the future consumer experience,
with marketing platform Affise predicting that non-human
communication will account for the vast majority of interactions
between consumers and companies by 2020.
• Telefónica showcased its On The Spot solution, using Intel
technology; this delivers a whole new shopping experience
at travel retailer Dufry. As customers move through the shop,
all screens, lights and music are synchronised to focus on one
product/brand, and messaging is tailored to the customers
present (e.g. flight information helps determine the language).
• “Generation Z” are born influencers, with inspiration coming
mostly from themselves or their peers. To tap into this, peer-
to-peer recommendations engine Yeay is using influencer and
affiliate marketing rather than traditional advertising and retail
channels.
Viewpoint: Emerging technology ushers in a new consumer
experience
Emerging technologies and upcoming digital services are set to
change the consumer experience and consumption habits. At MWC,
operatorsandotherindustryplayerspresentedsolutionsthatenhance
the customer journey by providing ‘real-time’ personalisation and
immersive/interactive solutions that tailor content to the specific
needs and profile of the user.
Entertainment providers showed how they intend to bring knowledge
to their audience using AI and immersive technologies (e.g. VR/AR)
to create deeper and long-term engagement, while content providers
demonstrated how VR/AR has the potential to move beyond gaming
and become the new interface for computers, the internet and AI.
With bricks and mortar retail facing growing pressure from
e-commerce, MWC highlighted a growing need to reinvent physical
shoppingbydeploying‘intelligencestores’.Overthenextfewyearswe
expect to see the blurring of boundaries between physical and digital
retail through the seamless integration of interactive technology
(including VR/AR and AI) into retail outlets, while consumer
choice will be driven by real-time, peer-to-peer recommendations
(particularly important for the younger generations).
There are currently 5 billion mobile subscribers around the world,
around a quarter of whom are ‘Aficionados’ – early adopters
who engage the most in the largest array of mobile services (see
Evaluating Mobile Engagement). Over the next few years, we expect
these Aficionados to expand the portfolio of services with which they
engage to include emerging technology such as VR/AR, 5G and AI.
These increasingly tech-savvy early adopters generally spend the
most on mobile services; the mobile ecosystem has the opportunity
to maximise its revenue by delivering an enhanced experience for
the consumers of tomorrow.
2
By 2020, customers will manage 85%
of their relationships with companies
without interacting with a human”
Affise/Salesforce
“

Consumer: devices
Connected devices featured prominently at this year’s MWC. A
key trend that emerged was the growing integration of connected
consumer devices with leading AI-based voice assistants to increase
accessibility and user engagement. Mobile operators are tapping
into this trend through collaboration with established players such
as Amazon and Google – a move that could boost interoperability
within the ecosystem.
Key points
• Telefónica and Deutsche Telekom showcased their AI-based
voice assistants Aura and Magenta, respectively, enabling voice
control of connected devices in the home.
• The launch of Samsung’s Galaxy S9 dominated the headlines,
despite featuring incremental upgrades. Improved speakers and
camera, and new functionality such as AR emojis and super slo-
mo were the highlights of Samsung’s new flagship handset. LG
and Asus also refreshed existing models with a focus on artificial
intelligence.
• Sony announced that the Xperia Ear Duo wireless earbuds, with
built-in Google Assistant and Siri integration, will start shipping
in May 2018.
• HMD Global relaunched the classic Nokia 8810. Although the
featurephone is priced below $100, it still offers LTE capability
and Google Assistant.
Viewpoint: Smart devices become more integrated with intelligent
platforms
Ecosystem fragmentation has been a major issue for connected
devices, which often functioned in isolation or, at best, in combination
with a smartphone app via wireless technologies such as Bluetooth.
Consumer device vendors are, however, taking advantage of
the emergence of AI-based voice assistants to provide greater
accessibility and convenience for end users. At MWC, South Korean
start-up Livin even presented a connected shower, which can be
integrated with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant for remote
operation.
Voice assistants have evolved in recent years, from mobile-based
platforms, such as Siri, Google Assistant and Cortana, with limited
interaction with external devices, to smart home speakers with the
potential to interact with multiple connected consumer devices. A
critical growth factor for leading home voice assistants is the open
source model, which allows third-party developers to integrate a
variety of connected devices into the ecosystem. At the start of 2018,
Amazon had a catalogue of more than 30,000 ‘skills’ available to
customers, who have now connected tens of millions of smart home
devices to Alexa.
Voice assistant integration will continue in 2018 and beyond as
intelligent voice platforms add new functionality. Mobile operators
are keen to tap into this trend; at MWC, Telefónica announced the
launch of its AI-powered Aura voice assistant in new markets, while
Deutsche Telekom gave an update on its new smart speaker to launch
later in 2018. Orange also launched a voice platform Djingo, in 2017.
Plans by mobile operators to integrate established platforms from
Google, Amazon and Microsoft point to a collaborative approach,
which could spur greater interoperability within the ecosystem.
2
In 2017, there were 7.5 billion IoT connections,
61% of which were in the consumer segment
Source: GSMA Intelligence

Emerging tech: artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence was a key focus at this year’s MWC, with a
significant number of developments announced and discussions held.
AI was embedded across the conference – from innovations such as
Huawei’s Ehang 184 ‘drone taxi’ to new personal digital assistants
and operational solutions for networks. There was widespread
recognition that AI will play a central role in future business and
digital transformation.
Key points
• A number of vendors demonstrated the potential of embedding
AI technologies into network infrastructure. For example,
Huawei launched its Intent-Driven Network solution, which
leverages AI, big data and automation to perform predictive
analysis and proactively optimise network performance.
Meanwhile, Ericsson announced a company-wide approach that
aims to position AI technologies at the heart of its organisation,
customer operations and networks. The use of AI will enable
networks to self-optimise, improve efficiency and deliver
optimal user experiences.
• The integration of AI into vehicle solutions was a recurring
theme. Daimler presented the new A-Class with its AI-driven
user experience supported by a voice assistant solution, as
well as the autonomous concept car, Smart Vision EQ ForTwo.
Meanwhile, Huawei used a self-driving Porsche Cayenne to
demonstrate the power of its phone’s Kirin 970 chip, which
features an AI engine.
Viewpoint: AI moving to mainstream
The prominence of AI at MWC reflected the importance of this
technology to the mobile community and major companies from
across industries. Telcos around the globe are increasingly embracing
AI in two of their core business areas: networks and customer care/
experience (i.e. chatbots and digital assistants).
Two areas of opportunity for operators revolve around their strong
network infrastructure and data resources. Access to accurate data
is crucial for the training and maintenance of effective AI solutions. In
the smart cities market, companies such as Teralytics use source data
from operators to train AI solutions to improve transport networks.
For instance, AI supported by operator data can be applied to the
rail network to identify delays and act to mitigate them. A similar
approach can be taken to disaster response: AI can be applied to
operator data to map the movement of people, and identify where
to deploy rescue efforts.
In the future, autonomous driving and wearable cognitive assistants
will demand high levels of network reliability and low levels of
latency. Prof. Mahadev Satyanarayanan argued that with their global
presence and established infrastructure capabilities, operators have
the potential to exploit this opportunity and develop the necessary
edge computing infrastructure, positioning themselves at the centre
of the AI revolution.
AI is increasingly becoming a mainstream technology across a
number of applications and industries. However, greater ecosystem
maturity and integration with other technologies such as IoT (smart
homes, cities, enterprises) and next-generation networks is needed
to fully realise its potential across industries.
3
“

Emerging tech: blockchain
While many blockchain discussions at MWC remained at a theoretical
level in terms of use cases and benefits, several companies showcased
trials or potential applications for enterprise and consumer
solutions. Use cases for blockchain technology are emerging in
securing IoT, underpinning supply-chain management and storing
data transactions between devices and the cloud. Tech pioneers
highlighted clear commercial benefit to stakeholders, providing the
basis for more widescale deployment.
Key points
• Telefónica, in collaboration with automotive companies SEAT
and Ficosa, demonstrated the application of blockchain
technology in an automotive supply chain to manufacture
and assemble a vehicle and distribute the final product to end
customers.
• Bubbletone, which offers a blockchain-based ecosystem for the
telecoms industry, has partnered with Horizon Communication
to provide affordable connectivity in Central America.
Bubbletone will leverage its blockchain platform to connect
service providers and subscribers in foreign markets.
• Dent Wireless announced the release of the Android version of
its blockchain-based mobile app that allows users to buy, sell
or donate mobile data to other users, using Dents as global
currency. The initial target markets are the US and Mexico.
Viewpoint: Blockchain technology emerges from behind
cryptocurrency hype
MWC served to highlight that blockchain is progressing beyond the
recent press focus on cryptocurrencies, and is being positioned as a
building block to drive future technology innovations – for example
in supply-chain management for 5G and IoT, and in AI to increase
assurance in autonomous business processes.
It is still early days for blockchain technology in terms of use case
development, but it is attracting a lot of interest. In conference
sessions, many participants were still in the theoretical stage in terms
of working with blockchain technology. Focus areas for discussion
included IoT security, with Cisco also highlighting the potential
application in smart cities to help drive further developments in this
area. Only a handful of participants in sessions had moved to getting
live blockchain pilots off the ground, however.
A small number of technology leaders are deploying blockchain
solutions in real-world scenarios. Applying blockchain to enterprise
with a mix of IoT and 5G, Telefónica has leveraged the technology
to introduce data insight and control to automotive manufacturing,
distribution and sales processes, increasing business transparency
and addressing issues around security. In the consumer space, Dent
Wireless has applied blockchain directly to peer-to-peer trading to
enable consumers to trade mobile subscription data, reducing the
cost of local and international roaming.
MWC signalled a clear step forward for blockchain technology, with
real-world deployments beginning to emerge that have the potential
to deliver tangible benefits to a range of sectors and technologies.
However, as previous discussions and forums have highlighted,
there is a need to increase technical efficiency around blockchain
mining to ensure it is a sustainable technology; otherwise, energy
consumption and processing may prove costly – economically and
environmentally.
3
Blockchain is being modified
to meet a diverging range of
use cases

Internet of Things: smart cities
The industrial Internet of Things was a key theme at MWC this year,
with key players such as AT&T, Dell, Deutsche Telekom, Ericsson,
Huawei, IBM, Intel and Nokia demonstrating a range of applications
across various industrial verticals. Smart cities received a lot of
attention in particular, as real-life examples have shown how big data
analytics can positively impact the daily lives of citizens.
Key points
• Cisco and Telenor Group signed a Joint Purpose Agreement
to collaborate on IoT, smart city and security solutions, while
AT&T announced the integration of the Cisco Kinetic for Cities
platform into various AT&T Smart Cities solutions.
• Nokia launched IoT for Smart Cities, a fully integrated, modular
and scalable framework to deliver and manage smart city
services, such as lighting, parking and waste management.
• Intel and its partners provided a range of smart city
demonstrations utilising 5G networks. Examples included the
Volteo SmartCity Manager and GE CityIQ intelligent nodes.
• Omantel signed an agreement with Huawei for the provision of
smart city solutions.
• Deutsche Telekom unveiled City Pass, an open platform based
on blockchain technology that allows users to manage multiple
memberships via a single account.
• Teralytics demonstrated the use of anonymised cellular
network information to highlight how people move around
certain locations, providing input into improvements for public
transport systems.
Viewpoint: Industry-wide collaboration is key to achieving the smart
city vision
During the Fourth Industrial Revolution keynote, Glenn Lurie,
Synchronoss, urged operators to “expand, innovate, federate and
experience in order to survive and prosper”. He pointed to smart
cities as the immediate opportunity to capture. GSMA Intelligence
forecasts that smart city connections will increase six-fold to reach 1
billion by 2025, offering a sizeable addressable market.
Operators can address this opportunity via LPWA, using both NB-
IoT and LTE-M. Huawei noted that smart city initiatives using NB-
IoT are gaining momentum; together with its ecosystem partners it
has engaged in facilitating around 50 smart city use cases across
40 industries, including lighting, street parking, shared bicycles,
environment monitoring and waste management.
The business case for IoT is shifting from just connecting devices
to addressing specific problems or needs with solutions. The pace
of IoT deployments is hastening partly due to the emergence
of horizontal platforms that collect, process and integrate data
from multiple data sources, and then analyse the data to provide
actionable insights. This is of particular importance for smart cities,
which rely on cross-industry data. There is also a clear understanding
that multiple ecosystem partners have to come together to build safe
and viable solutions. As such, collaboration is key between multiple
stakeholders, including governments, regulators, mobile operators
and other industry players.
Throughout the event it was evident that smart city deployments
are moving away from trials and proofs of concept to real-life
implementations. Some ecosystem players are already building on
open data sources (such as government data); those that do not
move quickly might miss the chance to fully monetise the data
opportunities ahead.
4
1 billion smart city connections
by 2025 Source: GSMA Intelligence

Internet of Things: security
IoT security has grown in importance over recent years at MWC. This
year, speakers raised a number of fundamental questions regarding
security and privacy in the IoT universe. While IoT undoubtedly offers
many opportunities, they will not be realised unless the challenges of
security and privacy are addressed.
Key points
• There is growing concern around the state of IoT security;
delegates shared many examples of how the security and
privacy of connected devices have been easily compromised
worldwide.
• Ecosystem players called for joint industry efforts to deliver
standards and solutions for IoT security. GSMA has already
published the IoT Security Guidelines document, a set of best
practices for the IoT industry. The IoT Cybersecurity Alliance,
with companies such as Qualcomm, AT&T, Symantec and Nokia,
is a further example of such ecosystem collaboration.
• Solutions presented include blockchain, SIM card authentication
and hardware-based security. According to Seshu
Madhavapeddy, Qualcomm, the symbiotic integration between
hardware and software security is key, rather than relying solely
on virtual software solutions that could be compromised.
• Examples from Vodafone and Telefónica prove that investment
in IoT security could become an opportunity for operators to
differentiate from competitors.
Viewpoint: IoT security is a collective ecosystem responsibility
Ensuring IoT security poses a substantial challenge for the entire
ecosystem. IoT is built on a massive number of low-powered, simple
devices with limited processing capabilities and memory but long
lifecycles; this creates a challenge for maintenance and firmware
upgrades. However, with forecasts of up to 25 billion IoT devices
connected by 2025, the opportunity is huge, and the need for security
is paramount to building trust in this market.
Operators have an opportunity to differentiate cellular over other
connectivity options. Many operators are already making significant
inroads into this area. Jaya Baloo, KPN, stressed the importance of
security in the design process of devices and raised the option of
using teams of ethical hackers to stress test security. Meanwhile,
Telefónica demonstrated how to provide a digital certificate in an
IoT device over the air by identifying SIM card credentials.
Across the ecosystem, industry players are also driving collaborative
efforts to address the challenges. Examples include ARM (with
Platform Security Architecture, based on the SIM as secure identity),
Cisco (with a multi-provider blockchain network) and Microsoft/
Qualcomm (wireless edge services – using both verification of chip
attestation and software encryption).
While multiple security platforms increase the risk of fragmentation,
one solution cannot meet all requirements. As IoT connects previously
unconnected industries and devices, some security threats will not
be realised until devices have been deployed (a good example being
Strava-based fitness devices recently appearing to reveal the exercise
routes of US military personnel). In addition to cellular connectivity
already offering a secure approach, operators and other ecosystem
players must continue to collaborate to ensure that flexibility remains
a core part of any security solution to react to new and evolving
threats.
4
“Insecurity of Things”
”a Wild West with no sheriff”
Paul Williamson, ARM, describing IoT

Policy and regulation: a framework for the digital ecosystem
Once again, regulation was a hot topic of debate at MWC this year.
In keynote speeches and Ministerial Programme sessions, discussion
around the appropriate policy framework for delivering a shared
digital future was prevalent. While some operators bemoaned
onerous regulation, others outlined their building blocks for realising
the potential of 5G, AI and smart cities.
Key points
• Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman of Bharti Enterprises and the
GSMA, called on mobile operators to seriously consider the
“NetCo model”, a consortium-like approach to network building.
• FCC Chairman Ajit Pai revealed plans to hold an mmWave
spectrum auction in the US in Q4 2018, provided the
government acts in time to resolve an outstanding financial
issue.
• Andrus Ansip, EC Vice President and Commissioner for the
Digital Single Market, vowed to preserve an open internet and
defended the region’s net neutrality rules, which he considers to
be working well.
• Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure stated that enabling efficient
rollout of 5G to support the vast number of connected things
necessitates a different approach to policy, regulation and
privacy in the US.
Viewpoint: With 5G on the horizon, regulators must be agile,
adaptable and supportive
Industry leaders convened at MWC 2018 to set out their plans to
create a better future for a connected world. Ajit Pai outlined the
US’s three-pillar 5G strategy. On net neutrality, Pai believes reversing
the ‘Title II’ rules on ISPs was the correct decision, noting that the
internet has not since ended. In contrast, Andrus Ansip maintained
his opposition to an ultrafast data highway for a lucky few and a
“digital dirt track” for the rest. Still, the EC may need to look at the
potential for conflict between its rules and the use of network slicing,
and resolve any issues in a timely manner.
Speed is also vital when it comes to spectrum availability. Sufficient
volumes in a range of bands – from low-frequency digital dividend
spectrum for coverage to high-frequency capacity bands such as
mmWave – must be assigned to operators with the appropriate licence
terms and durations soon to enable them to fulfil their ambitious 5G
rollouts. Equally critical is an environment that incentivises network
spend and allows cost recovery without leading to disproportionate
regulation. Encouragingly, some regulators and operators agreed
on the benefits of infrastructure sharing, which could be explored in
certain developing markets to expand connectivity.
Rarely does ‘one size fits all’ work without issue; regulators must
carefully consider the dynamics of their domestic markets, and
effectively balance infrastructure deployment costs, consumer
welfare and sustainable returns on capex. Whether through ex-ante
regulation or by using ex-post competition law, the policy setting
must provide certainty and stability, particularly as providers begin
another cycle of substantial investments. As highlighted by Sunil
Bharti Mittal, the US and EU often set the policy agenda for the
rest of the word. Their divergent approaches in important areas will
therefore be watched closely by peers as the ecosystem embarks on
its 5G journey.
5
We need an investment-friendly
framework. It is not about regulating
others; it is about having a level
playing field.”
José Maria Alvarez-Pallete, Telefónica
“

Policy and regulation: data privacy and protection
Data privacy and protection were at the forefront for many at Mobile
World Congress this year. Participants in many sessions were focussed
on the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which is due to
be implemented across the EU in May 2018. In the main programme,
IBM, IEEE, Veon and others discussed practical challenges to – but
also opportunities in – implementing data protection measures in the
industry. Discussions continued in the Ministerial Programme on the
regulation of cross-border data flows.
Key points
• IBM highlighted a survey study estimating that nearly 30% of
companies globally are GDPR-compliant today.
• Large and small companies are grappling with compliance, but
at Mobile World Congress many participants also identified
business opportunities arising from the new regulation.
• Device manufacturers and operators explained how they are
developing consumer-friendly approaches to give customers
greater control of their personal data.
Viewpoint: GDPR presents opportunities across the ecosystem
With GDPR coming into effect shortly, industry players are moving at
pace to ensure compliance. Failure to do so risks sanctions, including
fines of up to 4% of revenue or €20 million (whichever is greater). All
companies need to ensure they have a data protection officer. Jean
Gonié, VEON, highlighted the significant scale of this task, quoting
research by the IEEP that suggests almost 80,000 officers worldwide
would need to be hired to ensure compliance. Industry will also have
to grapple with new consent rules, which will not be as simple as
amending privacy notices. Companies will now need to be able to
switch off individual elements of customer data, which could be a
challenge for blockchain in particular.
But there is significant opportunity across the ecosystem to explore
business opportunities as a result of the regulation. Jessica Douglas,
IBM, highlighted that companies now have the opportunity to improve
their data management processes, enhance trust with customers
and ultimately earn more data from customers. The market dynamic
could also change according to Amba Kak, Mozilla Foundation,
who explained that new data portability rules mean data could be
migrated more easily to alternative providers, which could improve
competition in relevant markets.
Many participants talked about ‘privacy by design’, a concept
that involves layering privacy controls into devices and services,
so consumers can switch on or off. Companies such as Veon and
Telefónica have developed personal data dashboards to give
customers direct control. What remains to be seen is whether these
will cause more customers to switch on or switch off. The implications
could be significant for the industry.
5
We’ve been through 10 years of data
hoarding. This is not aligned with the
best practices of data management.”
Aurélie Pols, OX3 Analytics
“

Authors and contributors
Jasdeep Badyal
Senior Analyst
Kavi Bains
Senior Analyst
Mark Giles
Lead Analyst
Joss Gillet
Director
Cameron Heka
Senior Analyst
Pablo Iacopino
Senior Manager
Henry James
Mobile Ecosystem Specialist
Sylwia Kechiche
Lead Analyst
Mark Little
Senior Manager
Dennisa Nichiforov-Chuang
Senior Analyst
Kenechi Okeleke
Lead Analyst
James Robinson
Senior Analyst
Michael Rogers
Senior Analyst
Mayuran Sivakumaran
Senior Economist
Jan Stryjak
Lead Analyst
Robert Wyrzykowski
Mobile Spectrum Analyst

MWC 18 Barcelona Final Report

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MWC 18 Barcelona Final Report