The GSMA is celebrates the successful completion of MWC21 Los Angeles in partnership with CTIA, which took place at the Los Angeles Convention Centre from October 26 – 28. MWCLA was the third in-person event in the MWC series for 2021. Meeting the desire to come back together with expert planning, the advice of experts and strategic partners, the GSMA is delighted to be among those event organizers redefining what 'live' looks like.

“It was extraordinary to be back in Los Angeles—back together and back to business,” said John Hoffman, CEO of GSMA Ltd. “As the host of one of the most influential technology series in the world, we are proud to have successfully brought back the in-person format at MWC Los Angeles. We are known for convening the brightest minds in the industry and this year was no exception. Connected Impact, the theme this year was evident in all the ways speakers, exhibitors, sponsors and other contributors shared about ground-breaking technologies transforming our lives.”

A Committed Community

Health and safety remained a top priority as the world continues to respond to the global pandemic. We are immensely grateful for the support received from the City of Los Angeles, Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board, Los Angeles Convention Center, Joffe Emergency Services, CLEAR and the CLEAR Health Pass app. The GSMA appreciates the role everyone attending played in creating a safe environment.

MWC LA 2021 by the Numbers

In-person events this year look different than past editions. The GSMA is committed to delivering the best experience for every attendee and thanks all those who attended physically and virtually. We are pleased to announce that:

  • Over 4,100 people attended in-person
  • Nearly 200 exhibitors, sponsors and partners participated
  • Over 65 percent of attendees were senior level executives
  • 177 speakers contributed to 24 hours of content
  • The keynotes attracted more than 4,000 viewers via Mobile World Live TV, LinkedIn and other online platforms.

Highlights from the Event

A special feature this year was the LACC Career Academy. The program aims to increase equity in career representation by inspiring the youth of historically underserved areas of Los Angeles to consider diverse, dynamic career paths. Developed in response to Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Executive Directive No. 27 on Racial Equity in City Government 13 students toured the exhibition and took in the mayor’s keynote address.

Verizon announced that it opened customer trials for ThingSpace Intelligence, a new suite of analytics and management tools designed to provide users with predictive visibility into their IoT devices and network performance. The company also stated it is the first operator to certify module maker Quectel’s BC660K-GL device, a product meant for NB-IoT deployments which prioritize long battery life.

The show featured several demonstrations, such as IBM’s new integration with Boston Dynamics’ Spot robot to deliver data analysis at the edge and Amazon Web Services’ wavelength operator service aggregation capabilities for autonomous vehicles.

Keynote speakers from across the mobile ecosystem and the California business community shared insights and challenged attendees with new ideas. Video of all the keynote addresses and select conference and partner sessions is available on Mobile World Live TV.

MWC 2022

Scheduled for February 28 – March 3, 2022, the organization is in full planning for MWC22 in Barcelona. The dates for 2022 are a return to the traditional place on the calendar.

Key partners Deutsche Telekom, Ericsson, Huawei, Intel, Nokia, Orange, Qualcomm, Samsung Electrics, Telefonica, Vodafone and ZTE among others have already shown their support for MWC22 by confirming plans to attend and exhibit.