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HONG KONG, March 5, 2021 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

Connected Impact was the theme of MWC Shanghai 2021 and the GSMA has just

revealed that the event held in February attracted around 25,000 attendees from

114 countries and territories. In a Covid era with extensive travel

restrictions, this is an outstanding result. The My MWCS Online portal

transformed the three-day event into a truly global affair which accounted for

approximately 30 per cent of attendee turnout. Another 175,000 people viewed

presentations, keynotes, and other program components via the event's official

media partner, C114. Content from the event remains available over the next few

weeks and can be accessed here:

https://mwc2021-login.gotin.online/login_page?lang=en.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1385555/GSMA_Logo.jpg

As Asia's leading exhibition and conference for the mobile ecosystem, MWC

Shanghai attracted leaders across mobile and adjacent industries. With 350

speakers and senior-level executives making up around 58% of the conference

crowd, including 576 CEO's, the event spanned 50,000 sqm across the Shanghai

New International Expo Centre and Kerry Hotel Pudong. Playing host to 220

exhibitors and sponsors, the event was once again carbon-neutral and included

discussion of the mobile industry's actions on reducing carbon footprints.

"MWC Shanghai 2021 was a resounding success, safely held with enhanced Covid

precautions, and despite extensive domestic and international travel and

capacity restrictions triggered by the global pandemic. The event went ahead as

a positive signal of our industry's determination to connect people, industry

and society and contributing to global recovery," said CEO GSMA Ltd., John

Hoffman. "China has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to growing the 5G

landscape and was the perfect choice to launch our MWC series for 2021. I

sincerely thank the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Cyberspace

Administration of China, Shanghai Municipal People's Government and Pudong New

District Municipal Government, our Board, Partners, Exhibitors, Sponsors,

Speakers, the Press and all involved in this event that make MWC Shanghai 2021

a reality."

The place to launch new products

MWC Shanghai 2021 was also a platform for product innovation, including a range

of pioneering devices from leading players. Amongst the line-up was ZTE's Axon

30 smartphone, its latest endeavour to design a phone with a selfie camera

hidden under the display. Oppo showed a 125-watt flash charger, which can fully

recharge a smartphone in 20 minutes. Huawei, meanwhile, presented its folding

Mate X2 handset, which the company proclaimed can be closed without there being

a gap around the hinge, an issue that has plagued similar designs.

The IN crowd

Our new 5G Innovation Zone gave start-ups and entrepreneurs a platform to

connect with investors and become future disruptors.

The zone included 80 exhibitors, displaying immersive 5G experiences that

leveraged China Telecom's 5G, Cloud XR and Digital Twin technologies, creating

a unique experience for participants by moving them from the physical space

into the virtual dimension. It removed physical constraint and greatly enriched

the quality of the exhibition.

It also showcased how the most cutting-edge 5G thinking and technology is

already serving society, providing in-person and virtual guests with the

opportunity to explore the best examples.

2021 AMOs Success

The Asia Mobile Awards are always a highlight of MWC Shanghai, and this year

was no exception. The Outstanding Contribution to the Asia Mobile Industry

Award recognises sustained or extraordinary contributions by individuals,

organisations or collaborative achievements that advance the value and benefits

of mobile communications for people, business and societies in Asia. This year,

Mats Granryd, Director General of the GSMA, was proud to announce joint

winners, Wang Xiaochu, chairman and CEO of China Unicom and Ke Ruiwen, chairman

and CEO China Telecom, for the world's largest 5G commercial network sharing

project.

The second honour, Smartphone of the Year, is awarded for outstanding

performance, innovation and leadership as determined by assessing smartphones

on the market during the last 18 months. John Hoffman announced the 2021 award

went to Apple for the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Series. The judges also gave a

special commendation to the Samsung Galaxy Z-Flip for continued innovation and

development in the flexible display field.

Our thanks

In the most challenging circumstances, people came together. They demonstrated

the ecosystem's strength, commitment to innovation, and firm belief that mobile

technology must play a vital role in the global recovery. Our sincere thanks to

our Board, Partners, Exhibitors, Sponsors, Speakers, the Press and all involved

in this event. Your resilience, commitment, and generosity were felt by

participants worldwide and created hope, sending a positive signal about what

2021 has in store.

Looking to Barcelona

"The next platform for the mobile communications industry is MWC Barcelona in

June," said Mats Granryd, Director General, GSMA. "The lessons learnt in

Shanghai and the momentum gained will enable us to deliver another world-class

event. The global recovery from the pandemic will continue to rely on our

industry's technology. The prospects for wireless connectivity have never been

greater. Barcelona will be the place to be for anyone wanting to maximise those

opportunities."

For information about how to attend and pass types for MWC Barcelona, please

visit: www.mwcbarcelona.com/attend/register-your-interest

About GSMA

The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting more

than 750 operators with almost 400 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem,

including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers

and internet companies, as well as organisations in adjacent industry sectors.

The GSMA also produces the industry-leading MWC events held annually in

Barcelona (https://www.mwcbarcelona.com/ ), Africa

(https://www.gsmathrive.com/africa/ ), Los Angeles

(https://www.mwclosangeles.com/ ) and Shanghai (https://www.mwcshanghai.com/ ),

as well as the Thrive Series (https://www.gsmathrive.com/ )of regional

conferences.

For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.com.

Follow the GSMA on Twitter: @GSMA.

SOURCE  GSMA