-- More Than 20,000 Attendees to Converge in Shanghai for Second Mobile Asia Expo

BEIJING, Jan. 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The GSMA today announced the first details of the 2013 GSMA Mobile Asia Expo, which will be held June 26-28 at the Shanghai New International Exhibition Centre in Shanghai. Now in its second year, Mobile Asia Expo will include a conference programme featuring CEOs and senior executives from leading companies in Asia and around the world; an extensive exhibition showcasing innovative mobile products and services, including the new Connected City; the App Planet programme for the mobile application development community; a government and regulatory programme; and a variety of other seminars, meetings and educational programmes.

"We are pleased to be returning to Shanghai for our second Mobile Asia Expo," said Michael O'Hara, Chief Marketing Officer, GSMA. "Building on the success of our inaugural event last year, the 2013 edition of Mobile Asia Expo will attract more than 20,000 attendees, including executives and mobile professionals from across the broad mobile communications ecosystem, government officials, technology-savvy consumers. Mobile Asia Expo 2013 promises to be bigger and better, with a range of new programmes and activities for both business and consumer attendees."  

New at Mobile Asia Expo: Connected City
For the first time, the Mobile Asia Expo exhibition will feature the Connected City. In partnership with leading companies including China Mobile, Cisco, the Ford Motor Company and Huawei, the GSMA will showcase a range of mobile connected products and services, providing Mobile Asia Expo attendees the opportunity to experience the "Connected Life" first-hand.

"The Connected City is a very exciting addition to the Mobile Asia Expo programme. Asia Pacific has more than half of the world's 6.8 billion mobile connections and is at the forefront of next-generation mobile broadband technologies and cutting-edge innovation, but there is far greater scope for growth," commented O'Hara. "The projected rise of connected devices across the region demonstrates the enormous potential for the entire Connected Life ecosystem, with billions of new devices connected via mobile networks, enabling innovative applications, services and experiences across all sectors."

Showcasing Mobile Innovation
In addition to the Connected City, the Mobile Asia Expo exhibition will include more than 200 leading companies showcasing innovative products, services and solutions. Exhibitors currently confirmed to participate at Mobile Asia Expo include CyWee Group, Datang Telecom Technology, Co. Ltd., JDSU China, Mozilla, Oracle, Panguso Corporation and ZTE, among others.

Mobile Asia Expo will again include the Innovation Lab, which provides a platform through which companies can highlight products and services and which will be open to all Mobile Asia Expo attendees.In an open stage located in the Mobile Asia Expo exhibition, Innovation Lab partners will present products, developments and advances, technologies or novel ideas on how to meet the needs of the mobile ecosystem.

App Planet at Mobile Asia Expo
App Planet presents a unique opportunity for attendees to explore the many dimensions of the ever-changing and critically important mobile apps market. App Planet presents opportunities for developers and mobile professionals to sharpen their knowledge as well as connect with other major apps influencers. Elements of App Planet include the App Pavilion, an exhibition area dedicated to the world of mobile apps; the App Lab, an open stage in the heart of the exhibition floor where companies can demonstrate new products and services specifically focused on the mobile app development community; and the App Cafe, which provides a central meeting point for the developer ecosystem to meet and engage.

Mobile Asia Expo Conference
The 2013 Mobile Asia Expo conference programme will comprise visionary keynotes and breakout sessions providing essential insights on current and future trends impacting the ever-changing mobile industry. Keynote sessions will focus on mobile operator strategies, mobile broadband technologies and big data, while breakout sessions will examine topics such as applications, business transformation, connected living, devices, mobile cloud, mobile money, mobile in retail and advertising, NFC, small cells and social media, among others.

The Call for Papers for the Mobile Asia Expo conference programme will be open through Friday, 8 February. Please visit http://www.mobileasiaexpo.com/cfp/ for more information.

Introducing the Smart City Summit
In another Mobile Asia Expo first, the GSMA will be hosting the Smart City Summit, a one-day programme for executives from municipalities with "smart city" plans and aspirations in China and the rest of Asia, as well as Europe and North America. The Smart City Summit will offer a combination of keynote presentations, smart city deployment case studies and round table discussions, and will conclude with a tour of the Connected City on the exhibition floor.

GSMA Public Policy Forum
Given the importance of sound government policy to the mobile ecosystem and the impact Asia Pacific has on a global scale, the GSMA will be hosting its second annual Public Policy Forum at Mobile Asia Expo, which will bring together key stakeholders from telecommunications ministries and regulatory authorities, mobile operators and industry manufacturers. Under the theme of "Reaching Total Connectivity", the 2013 Forum will examine the regulatory environment that will help in delivering services, creating growth and improving lives in the region and beyond.

For more information on Mobile Asia Expo 2013, including details on how to attend, exhibit or sponsor, please visit www.mobileasiaexpo.com.

About the GSMA
The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide. Spanning more than 220 countries, the GSMA unites nearly 800 of the world's mobile operators with more than 230 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset makers, software companies, equipment providers and Internet companies, as well as organisations in industry sectors such as financial services, healthcare, media, transport and utilities. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as the Mobile World Congress and Mobile Asia Expo. 

For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.com or Mobile World Live, the online portal for the mobile communications industry, at www.mobileworldlive.com.