Goodbye 3GSM, hello Mobile

RECOGNISING THAT cellular networks are about more than just selling handsets, the owner of the 3GSM shows has re-branded its upcoming show in Macau as the Mobile Asia Congress.

The GSM Association (GSMA) is hoping that the move will attract visitors from the ICT, entertainment and financial services industries not just the regular mobile phone bods.

The mobile phone industry is, of course becoming enormous - making the PC industry look relatively tiny by comparison.

According to the research service, Wireless Intelligence, the mobile phone industry is set to pass the three billion subscriber milestone this August [2007].

Significantly the GSMA is hoping its Mobile Asia show will tap into "China's imminent adoption of 3G technologies."

Given that China's imminent granting of 3G licences has been going on for at least three years, the GSMA might be being a tad optimistic here.

So, next February when the world's mobile hacks descend on Barcelona and wait on line for hours before admission, we can mull over the name change from 3GSM to Mobile.

The cynics amongst us, of course, might even suggest that the real reason for the name change is to lose the word GSM. Because GSM isn't the only 3G technology. China will probably go for TD-SCDMA, for example.

So with the offending three letter acronym removed, vendors hoping to sell to China might stand a better chance. How fortunate. µ

L'INQ
GSMA