Our Visit to MWC22 – A Long-Awaited Return to the Fair with the Futuristic Character

Interview with Victor Manuel Moracho Oliva | March 22^nd, 2022

Our innovaphone Area Sales Manager IBERIA, Victor Manuel Moracho Oliva, was On Site at the MWC2022

From February 28^th until March 3^rd, the Mobile World Congress finally took place again on site, in Barcelona. After two years of pandemic and a somewhat “disenchanted” MWC 2021, expectations were quite high to see if the MWC22 would be able to defend its title of being one of the largest ICT events worldwide. innovaphone was on site in Barcelona and, of course, we wanted to know from our colleagues how they experienced the Mobile World Congress 2022.

Victor, what were your expectations concerning the Mobile World Congress and what was your impression of this year’s event?

To be honest, I did not have high expectations since this was the first big event after the pandemic started and there were still strict hygiene regulations. However, the outcome was very positive indeed. This year’s MWC took us back to the good old times but with a futuristic image that has always been characteristic to the exhibition. It was a return to the past as we remember events and exhibitions from before the pandemic. We all had our protective masks, used disinfectants and tests as well as all the other measures we are all familiar with but nevertheless, for me, this event was a real return to how it used to be. This was such a pleasant surprise and it was great experiencing first-hand how solid the ICT sector and our market are.

Given the circumstances, would you call the event a success?

Yes, absolutely. On the news, you heard about approximately 61,000 visitors at the exhibition. This is roughly 70% of the visitors we had before the pandemic hit. This is not a bad number at all.

In your opinion, what is the winning formula for MWC to maintain its position as one of the leading international trade fairs in the field of ICT compared to similar exhibitions?

I personally believe that one of the factors for the great success of the MWC is the excellent preparation of the organizers: networking apps, various activities for vertical sectors, parallel symposiums, workshops and much more. From startups and SMEs to multi-national corporations and large industrial conglomerates, everyone has a place at the MWC, with areas perfectly tailored to the target audience. Another key to its success is the international dimension of the event, which is reflected in the strong influence of the organizing association and the GSMA (Groupe Speciale Mobile Association) members.

What was the profile of the MWC visitor?

The profiles of the visitors were very heterogenous. At our innovaphone stand, we welcomed a lot of Spanish and international companies and visitors. Some of the businesses had already scheduled to meet up with us at the MWC in advance. Many others came to our stand to get the latest news on UCaaS. The myApps platform is an open platform that enables easy integration of 3rd party apps into the myApps software client. Synergies with other manufacturers and 3rd party developers arise from this, and we had very interesting meetings and encounters. This will surely manifest itself in new partner apps in the near future. The MWC was also a great opportunity for our team IBERIA to network with the channel and with partners from the region as well as from other parts of the country. The opportunity was seized to bring along end customers to demonstrate the latest functions of the innovaphone myApps platform first-hand.

The role of IT as a front-line service during the pandemic has been reflected across all areas and sectors.
Do you think this served as an incentive for companies to face the challenges of digitization, or rather as a patchwork to cope with a situation that no one had anticipated?

The boost in technology these past two years has undoubtedly expedited the digitization process of many companies. With some technologies, we are even talking about a leap of almost seven years compared to the realization process that would have taken place under other circumstances.
Originally, these technologies and advanced communication tools in particular were used to ensure business continuity in many companies. Today, these technologies and tools have become indispensable - their use in itself means business continuity.

After attending the Congress and the GSMA roundtable on VoIP and mobile connectivity, what technology trends would you highlight?

Clearly, it is imperative to pursue further breakthroughs in security, especially with respect to the application level, while improving interoperability in compliance with standards. It is a real challenge to ensure secure and reliable connectivity. Cyber criminals exploit any vulnerability to carry out attacks, data theft, service outages and any other fraudulent practices that many operators may suffer from.
This is why it is so important for enterprise communications to have a secure, reliable, stand-alone platform with its own operating system optimized for IP communication that is as free as possible from vulnerabilities and dependencies of 3rd party systems, just like innovaphone myApps is designed.

Besides the key aspect of security, what other aspect would you highlight as essential for a business communications solution to meet the challenges in an ever-changing world?

I would definitely emphasize the flexibility and versatility of innovaphone myApps. It is of utmost relevance that a communication system is flexible and equipped to meet any business requirement, not only in the present, but also in the future. This flexibility can be achieved by integrating an infinite number of applications, many of them for mobility, in perfect coexistence within a homogeneous ecosystem. Users can work with the same applications, tools and identical interface from anywhere and on any device. A flexible system allows companies to respond quickly and this translates into increased efficiency and productivity. The focus at all times lies on the core business and the management of the challenges that arise every day, in the certainty that communication and collaboration, whether internal between employees or external with customers, is a given that works reliably.