GSMA Launches NFC Experience For Mobile Asia Expo

- GSMA Also Announces New Event Features, Exhibitors, Sponsors and Speakers

LONDON, May 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The GSMA today announced the NFC Experience at Mobile Asia Expo, an interactive experience through which exhibitors, vendors and attendees will be able to use mobile Near Field Communication (NFC) technology to exchange information and conduct transactions. Additionally, the GSMA announced several new keynote speakers for the Mobile Asia Expo conference programme, as well as new exhibitors and sponsors participating across key programmes at the event. Mobile Asia Expo will take place 26-28 June at the Shanghai New International Exhibition Centre (SNIEC) in Shanghai.

"We're excited to launch the NFC Experience for Mobile Asia Expo, as it provides attendees the opportunity to experience first-hand the power of NFC technology throughout the Mobile Asia Expo venue, as well as in the Pudong area of Shanghai," said Michael O'Hara, Chief Marketing Officer, GSMA. "We hope that all attendees will take advantage of the many benefits of NFC, from information access and download to retail transactions, among others."

A Mobile Asia Expo First – the NFC Experience
As part of the first NFC Experience at Mobile Asia Expo, the GSMA will showcase an integrated range of mobile NFC services. Attendees with NFC-enabled handsets will be able to utilise NFC technology at locations throughout the SNIEC and the adjacent Kerry Hotel. The NFC Experience features:

• NFC Centre – Anchored by the NFC Lounge, this dedicated area located in the heart of exhibition will showcase NFC-enabled handsets, as well as a number of NFC-based services from players across the ecosystem;
• NFC Experience Zones – More than a dozen NFC Experience Zones will be strategically placed around the Expo, enabling attendees with NFC handsets to download information and maps, test out NFC vending machines, interact with smart posters and join in an NFC treasure hunt throughout the Expo;
• MAE NFC University Challenge – In this essay competition, university students from around the region are invited to outline their visions for the future of NFC and how it can solve everyday problems; and
• NFC-Enabled Retail Zone – Attendees can use NFC handsets to receive discount offers and purchase products in the nearby shopping mall.

China Mobile is the NFC Experience Official Operator Partner for Mobile Asia Expo. For more information on the NFC Experience, visit www.mobileasiaexpo.com/nfc-experience/.

New Mobile Asia Expo Keynotes
The following CEOs and senior executives from companies across the mobile ecosystem have been confirmed for the keynote programme at Mobile Asia Expo, including:

• Rajeev Singh-Molares, President – Asia Pacific, Alcatel-Lucent
• Manoj Kohli, MD and CEO (International), Bharti Airtel
• Jinwoo So, President and CEO, SK Planet
• Jon Fredrik Baksaas, President and CEO, Telenor Group
• David Thodey, CEO, Telstra

These executives join previously announced Mobile Asia Expo keynote speakers:

• Franco Bernabe, Chairman, GSMA and Chairman and CEO, Telecom Italia Group
• Suk-Chae Lee, Chairman and CEO, KT Corp.
• Kaoru Kato, President and CEO, NTT DOCOMO
• Hakam Kanafani, Group CEO, Turk Telekom

For more information on the Mobile Asia Expo keynotes, as well as the full conference programme, visit www.mobileasiaexpo.com/conference.

New Additions to Mobile Asia Expo Exhibition
The Mobile Asia Expo exhibition will include more than 200 companies across the broad mobile ecosystem, as well as from adjacent industries. The three Chinese mobile network operators, China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom, will showcase their services and solutions on the exhibition floor, along with other newly confirmed exhibitors including Accenture, Alcatel-Lucent Shanghai Bell, Chunghwa Telecom, RaceLogic, Rohde & Schwarz, Shanghai Feixun Communication Co., Sony Mobile Communications and Telecom Italia Sparkle. For a full list of exhibitors, visit www.mobileasiaexpo.com/expo-overview/.

New Developments in App Planet
App Planet presents a unique opportunity for attendees to explore the many dimensions of the ever-changing and critically important mobile apps market. Companies including Aptoide, Mobile Systems Inc. and Pandit Holdings have signed on to exhibit in the App Zone, while the GSMA will hold an application developer conference as part of App Planet on Wednesday, 26th June. For more information, visit www.mobileasiaexpo.com/app-planet.

Updates for the Innovation Labs
The GSMA announced new companies presenting in the Innovation Labs, an open stage located on the Mobile Asia Expo exhibition, where companies can highlight products, technologies and services, as well as strategies to meet the needs of the mobile ecosystem. Companies currently scheduled to present Innovation Lab sessions include Canonical, comScore, DTS and McAfee. FingerQ is the Platinum Sponsor for the Innovation Lab in Hall N1. For more information, visit www.mobileasiaexpo.com/innovation-labs/.

IBM Sponsors Connected Living Asia Summit
IBM is the Sponsor for the Connected Living Asia Summit, a three-day, open industry event that will explore the latest developments in and future direction of the M2M and Connected Experiences market, with a particular focus on Asia. The Connected Living Summit will take place 24-26 June, and will also feature the Smart Cities Forum. For more information, visit www.mobileasiaexpo.com/connected-living/.

Trade Hub: Facilitating and Streamlining Business
Mobile Asia Expo again offers business attendees the Trade Hub, an online deal-making platform that brings together solutions providers with senior decision makers from mobile operators, facilitating engagement and potential partnership discussions. Through the Trade Hub, sponsoring companies enter criteria to identify possible business partners and opportunities and the system then matches them with appropriate buyers, all of whom have been pre-qualified by the GSMA. Sponsors for the Trade Hub include comScore, IBM, Oracle and SAP. For more information on participating in the Trade Hub, please contact tradehubconcierge@mobileasiaexpo.com.

Mobile Asia Expo Registration Is Now Open
Registration to attend Mobile Asia Expo is now open online and individuals wishing to attend the conference programme or visit the exhibition can access information on the different pass types and pricing at http://www.mobileasiaexpo.com/registration/.

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

SOURCE GSMA