The MWC commits to Barcelona forever

Although a "forever" may sound too big and even a bit reckless, John Hoffman seems to fear nothing. With a "fasten your seatbelts," the CEO of GSMA has warned the city of Barcelona that there is Mobile World Congress (MWC) for a long time and that the history they share still has a long way to go.

The warning to sailors came shortly after GSMA, the entity responsible for organizing the Mobile, and the different administrations involved in its celebration had just signed the contract that extends its permanence in the Catalan capital until 2030. That was the expected headline, but the surprise came when the extension translated into much more.

"It is very exciting to extend our partnership with Barcelona until 2030 and maybe forever," began its general director, Mats Granryd. "It is not so much a relationship of the past but of the future," continued Mayor Ada Colau. "Until 2030 and beyond," added the First Vice President of the Government, Nadia Calviño, not forgetting to quote Buzz Lightyear as the creator of the motto.

The CEO of Fira de Barcelona, Constantí Serrallonga, was in charge of putting it in black and white. "An extension contract has been signed for what it means to be the mobile capital and to have the MWC in Barcelona, but not only that. It is a contract with a vocation for permanence and, therefore, a system of automatic tacit renewals has been established from 2030," he specified. "This establishes Barcelona as the permanent headquarters of the MWC," added Serrallonga.

The contract also sets out to increase the contributions made by the City Council, the Government of Catalonia, and the Spanish Government for the celebration of the congress, going from the current 15 million euros ---divided equally--- to 24 million euros. Likewise, Fira de Barcelona will export one of its fairs, the Smart City Expo, to places where GSMA is present outside of Spain, such as Las Vegas and Shanghai.

Given such an announcement, joy was palpable in the air, and for good reason. More than one person recalled that just over two years ago, they were gathered in that very spot to cancel the exhibition due to the imminent arrival of something that at the time sounded as dystopian as a pandemic. A decision that at the time was thought to be exaggerated but has proven to be an essential element to guarantee the viability of Mobile, not only in the Catalan capital but as an exhibition. "The designation of Barcelona as a permanent venue began to crystallize the day after the cancellation," stated Fira president, Pau Relat. "In complicated times, it shows who you can count on," he assessed.

And the Mobile has seen it all. The coronavirus was the latest chapter in a long history of crises, with strikes and political tensions erupting on the days of its celebration. "Our relationship has been built over a few years that have not been just any years; there have been many difficulties," Colau pointed out. "Not only have we overcome the difficulties, but we have strengthened our trust," the mayor emphasized.

But there were also those who remembered how, despite everything, the congress has grown, and how its protagonists have changed, increasingly sidelining the initial stars, mobile phones, and allowing a technological explosion to open up endless possibilities. The MWC landed in the city in 2006 when smartphones and GPS seemed like something out of a movie, and since then, much has changed.

"Not only have we overcome the difficulties, but we have strengthened our trust," Colau defended.

"Barcelona is much more than the city where MWC is held. It is the critical element," summarized the CEO of GSMA. "Some say that if you want to go fast, go alone; and if you want to go far, go accompanied. Our partnership shows that we can go fast and far. We have no limits," Hoffman concluded. It is still unknown what the future of telephony will be and where technology will take us, but what is clear is that, for many years, if not infinitely, a part will be written from Barcelona.