MWC 2024: Vodafone's CEO Advocates for Regulatory Reform and Industry-Wide Collaboration

Vodafone CEO Margherita Della Valle delivered a compelling keynote address at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2024, urging for collaboration and regulatory reform to drive the next phase of mobile technology.

Della Valle called for a departure from the old model of self-sufficiency among telecommunications companies, emphasizing the need for simultaneous competition and collaboration with other leading players in the next phase of telecommunications technology: the Industrial Internet. This concept involves connecting machines and applications with cloud-based platforms to enrich systems and lives globally. "To serve our customers better, we need to be open to cooperation," she asserted.

In highlighting Vodafone's commitment to innovation, Della Valle disclosed ongoing collaborations with tech giants Google, AWS, and Microsoft. These partnerships aim to harness the collective strengths of these entities to achieve optimal connectivity and technical expertise.

(Photo : JOSEP LAGO/AFP via Getty Images) Vodafone Group's CEO Italian Margherita Della Valle talks on stage during the Mobile World Congress (MWC), the telecom industry's biggest annual gathering, in Barcelona on February 26, 2024. The world's biggest mobile phone fair throws open its doors in Barcelona with the sector looking to artificial intelligence to try and reverse declining sales.

Less Congestion, More Innovation

Margherita Della Valle underscored the significance of such collaborations, citing the example of Vodafone and ASD Space Mobile installing a gateway in Kenya to launch the first direct smartphone-to-satellite service in Africa. "Vodafone is uniquely positioned to accelerate growth through partnerships. We have the platforms, we have the talent, and we know what our hundreds of millions of customers need," she affirmed.

The CEO also emphasized the importance of increased collaboration within the tech industry, drawing from Vodafone's involvement in developing open-RAN and edge cloud technologies. She advocated for a broader ecosystem at scale, calling for a fresh approach to partnerships within and beyond the tech industry.

Della Valle took a firm stance against the current regulatory landscape in Europe, advocating for a continent-wide set of regulations to replace the existing fragmented rules across different countries. She highlighted the potential benefits, stating, "One set of European rules, not 27 sets of national rules. Imagine if the billions we waste today through fragmentation could be invested in higher quality, faster connections, less congestion, and more innovation. Telecoms grow through investment," she declared.

The Vodafone CEO expressed willingness to collaborate, calling on industry players, partners, and governments. "This is our role. European economies need our investment-let's work together."

Vodafone Focusing on The Future of Telecommunications

The CEO also noted in her MWC 2024 address the transformative potential of mobile technology. Della Valle acknowledged its life-saving impact and advocated for the next step in its evolution. She remarked, underscoring the vast opportunities ahead, "Our imaginations are really the only thing holding us back."

TechTimes previously reported that Vodafone and Microsoft established a 10-year partnership that seeks to provide cutting-edge generative AI, digital, corporate, and cloud services to 300 million European and African enterprises and consumers. Vodafone is investing $1.5 billion in Azure OpenAI and Copilot over the next decade to power customer-focused AI.

In exchange, Microsoft will invest in Vodafone's managed Internet of Things (IoT) platform. Vodafone's aim to spin off its IoT business by April accords with this strategy. The agreement will transform Vodafone's IoT capabilities and grow its African mobile finance platform.