MWC “shell out and suck it up” says WIP Connector Caroline Lewko

This morning I received my WIP Connector Newsletter. WIP is a developer friendly mobile networking company that organises events around mobile. I met Caroline Lewko the founder for the first time at the MoMo Peer Awards in Barcelona. She was the moderator and I was a judge.

I am sharing some comments below published in her WIP newsletter.  It’s about the cost of the Mobile World Congress.

However, we seem to be entering a phase in our industry I’m calling “Shell out and Suck it up”. I think MWC has peaked in terms of size and robustness of the event, because it has outpriced itself, and Las Vegas is soon on the way.  Costs have skyrocket from exhibition and venue space to hotel rooms to at least 5X the regular rate - they see us coming. 

Big companies are feeling the pain (did you know that just to rent a pad of pavement in the Fira courtyards was an average of $1million, then you have to build up from there).  This really affects our small developers and innovators who want to be there, as the costs get prohibitive.  Even many of the country specific booths (Canada included) make it impossible for small companies to get visibility.

I and a few of our ARC members have tried to talk to GSMA for over 2 years to work with us to develop an emerging company pavilion at MWC, but calls continue to get unreturned.  That was one of the reasons Rudy and I put on the Mobile Jam session.  (A big Thank You to CTIA for supporting our WIP-ARC members with a booth and meeting space - see more below.)
 
The other instance of “Shell out and Suck it up” is still reflected in the attitudes of many of the carriers, especially when it comes to testing and certifications.  I had a few Tier One’s say to me that they only want to deal with the big media companies who can bring them a million subs, and that they don’t have time to fool around with the small companies who are lucky to bring in 10,000 subscribers. 

What we think?
I have to agree. Barcelona is very expensive. I had to stay miles out of town and I hired a car. This meant that the traffic was nothing less than terrible.

I missed out on a start-up or real grass roots section at the event.
I noticed that the amount of people (110) that turned up to our GoMo News MyStrands blender really valued the chance to pitch to GoMo News to get visibility. Even larger blogs or newspapers get so swapped at the show that “younger” companies fail to get a look in – despite the investment of attending.
There are many small hot companies out there and The Mobile Jam session is addressing one side of the market. Other niche communities or start-ups wanting an honest write-up feel free to contact me.
At CTIA don’t  forget to check out our GoMo News on Wheels initiative and I have only a few spaces left for our Hard Rock Cafe Blender. If you have an innovative service, are in Las Vegas on the 30th or if you are a Mobilist with a heart for start-ups in mobile services - please contact me.

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4. MWC: Pitch to GoMo News with GyPsii Sam Critchley and Shane Lennon
5. MWC: Bebo makes social networking more mobile with Intercasting and ANTHEM