MWCS EN Keynotes 2024

At MWC24 Shanghai, mobile operators in China took the lead by launching the first commercial API under GSMA’s Open Gateway initiative. This milestone accelerated the delivery of innovative digital services to customers and global markets, enabling sectors and communities to realise the full potential of open APIs. The keynote demonstrated how Open Gateway has tackled fraud, improved device location accuracy and delivered on-demand quality services, paving the way for seamless integration and new revenue streams. 

Key outcomes 

This keynote session mobilised operators, vendors and sectors into building a programmable, collaborative ecosystem using Open Gateway standards, particularly around 5G-A, API monetisation and vertical-specific use cases. 

• Within a year, 47 new operators joined Open Gateway, and countries including Brazil, Germany, Indonesia, South Africa, Spain and Sri Lanka deployed live network APIs, illustrating rapid industry-wide adoption.
• Partnerships between operators (for example, Deutsche Telekom, AT&T and Verizon) and vendors (like Ericsson and Huawei) were formalised after the keynote, aligning with the GSMA’s Open Gateway roadmap.
• Insurance claim APIs and live-streaming APIs showcased during the keynote were later rolled out commercially by operators and partners, reducing claim processing times and improving streaming quality. 

Industry leaders highlighted how the AI boom has reshaped Asia Pacific’s digital economy, with generative AI projected to deliver £2 trillion in annual economic benefits to China alone. The keynote moved beyond early hype, showcasing how AI had created value at scale, driven innovation and established a robust AI economy across the region.

Key outcomes: 

Clear, real-world outcomes tied directly to this keynote include: 

• Over 30 operators launched AIenabled networks and committed to 5G-A deployments.
• Huawei implemented RAN Intelligent Agents, drastically improving efficiency and autonomy.
• ZTE formalised collaboration frameworks for AI-enhanced telecommunications with operators. 

A celebration of Asia’s emergence as a hub for technological breakthroughs, driven by rapid deployment of 5G, advanced AI, IoT and blockchain technologies. Speakers illustrated how China’s dynamic market, with over 900 million internet users, has accelerated innovation and transformed consumer experiences.

Key outcomes: 

This keynote acted as a strategic trigger, leading to 5G-A commercialisation, AI-native network deployments and cross-industry innovation projects in the months following the event. 

• The GSMA reported that by late 2024, 30+ operators completed 5G-A verification, and 10 announced commercial deployments, including China Mobile’s plan for 300 5G-A city networks by year-end. These announcements were tied to the keynote’s call for innovation-first strategies.
• Vendors like Huawei and ZTE introduced AI-native RAN solutions, energy optimisation platforms and autonomous Operations and Maintenance (O&M) systems, which were later deployed in cities like Shenzhen, Hangzhou and Bangkok.
• Formal agreements were signed between operators and tech vendors for AI-driven smart city projects, industrial automation and cloud-edge integration, reflecting the keynote’s emphasis on ecosystem collaboration.