A New Dawn of Telecom and Tech Events in South Asia
Tech events are something of a recent phenomenon. While localized tech events and gadget exhibitions have been taking place in various countries for years now, the first global mobile and tech event was organised in 2009 by the GSMA. Dubbed the Mobile World Congress and organised in Barcelona, Spain, the tech extravaganza was an instant hit with the global brands, tech enthusiasts, international media and young professionals who saw the event as an opportunity to connect, collaborate, debate and learn.
While GSMA has since been engaged in organizing similar iterations of Mobile World Congress in other parts of the world, South and South East Asia have started focussing on organizing and nurturing their own platforms. From Telecom Worlds Asia to the India Mobile Congress, these events are just as grand and world-class as Mobile World Congress and much more important in terms of the impact they have on the regions they are held in. For example, India Mobile Congress is one of the largest mobile, internet and technology events in the world and definitely the biggest in South Asia. It is only befitting that it is held in the second largest telecom market in the world – India.
India is emerging as a tech and telecom leader in terms of consumption. It recently overtook the United States to become and the second largest smartphone market in the world. It was already the biggest telecom market in terms of potential with a billion telecom subscribers and a billion that are yet to be brought online. In this regard, an event like India Mobile Congress is perfect for the country to showcase the latest developments in communication technology, invite international brands and experts, invite more investments in the sector and get more and more people on the technology bandwagon. Such events can be excellent in promoting early adoption of technology and that can be massive for developing countries.
Importance of Tech Events to South Asia
One of the most important aspects of tech events in South Asia is that such events provide a perfect platform for discussion regarding emerging technologies such as 5G, Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), Machine to Machine (M2M) communication, automation, robotics, sensor networks, smart cities and virtual reality. As South Asia mainly comprises of developing countries, it is imperative that a futuristic and modern approach to development be inculcated in order to drive growth and foster a scientific temper. Discussions at such events encourage the young tech enthusiasts while also affecting policy at local, national and international levels.
Events such as Telecoms World Asia and the India Mobile Congress invite international presence and investments in the telecommunications and technology sector to South Asia. Such investments can go a long way in hastening technological advances and bringing much needed development to region. One of the biggest advantages that the said telecom and tech events could bring would be the early roll-out of technologies such as 5G. South Asia has historically been a late adopter of mobile communication technologies and an impetus on celebrating technology could push for early tech roll-outs and faster advancements.
