In March, we had reported that the Cellular Operators Association in India will host a mobile congress in India for the first time. This news seems to have been confirmed by IANS and it will be independent of any other similar show across the globe.
Catering to South-East Asian countries and the Indian subcontinent, the COAI is partnering with the Department of Telecommunications and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to host a three-day long show in New Delhi.
“We felt we needed a flagship event in India. In the West we have the Barcelona event (MWC), in the East, there is the Shanghai Mobile World Congress — but there was nothing of that scale for South-East Asia. This event will serve that purpose,” Rajan S. Mathews, Director General, COAI, told IANS.
To be held from 27th September to 29th September 2017, this mobile congress is expected to see participation from 8-10 countries. China has a similar Shanghai Mobile World Congress every year, that draws attention from around the globe for the massive scale it has.
“We are hoping that 8 to 10 major countries will participate in the event. This will become a flagship event for India. It will be an annual event,” P. Ramakrishna, CEO of the event said. India also hosts a biennial event ‘Auto Expo’ for automobiles that attract a lot of countries as well.
The event will be held at Pragati Maidan with a budget of Rs. 15 crores. Israel, UK and Sweden have already confirmed their presence, and US and Canada are still in the talks. It will be also great to see the Korean and Chinese company adding to the glamour.
Format of the Indian Mobile Congress
Just like the MWC held in Barcelona every year, this show will also have a similar format. The first two days will be for the media, celebrities and other important personalities. Of course, you will still be able to enter if you’re able to get your hands on the passes.
The third day will offer free entry to the public, to see and use the gadgets on the display. This will also prove to be a great platform for the launch of smartphones and other electronic devices in India.
Indian Mobile Congress will also be opened to startups that are working on Artificial Intelligence or a similar kind of technology. They can showcase their products at the stalls like in a business to government and business to consumer model.
Now, for someone who has been to Pragati Maidan for shows, I can tell you that the footfall at this show will be massive, and there won’t be much space to walk around easily. You will have to struggle to get to see and use the device you have been waiting for unless COAI plans it really well.
It is exciting to know that Indian Government is planning to host an event like this in India, which will not only increase the business here and also project India to a new level.
Source: Firstpost
