The 2000 GSM World Congress once again demonstrated that GSM growth worldwide continues to prove GSM as THE global standard for cellular communications.

The continued increase in the number of attendees at this annual gathering of the GSM industry continued in 2000. With the total number of visitors up to 15,500, a 72% increase on 1999, all the major players in the GSM industry attended.The world’s largest GSM specific exhibition also continued to grow in 2000.

Up to 276 exhibitors from 207 (a 33% increase), and with the addition of a dedicated Bluetooth pavilion within the exhibition, all the latest products were on show.

The addition of the pre-Congress GSM-UMTS conference gave delegates an opportunity to see where the industry will be heading over the next few years. The importance of the development of 3rd generation systems is underlined by the change in title of the GSM World Congress next year to The GSM & 3G World Congress.

Mobile Billing 2000, the operators’ billing event, continued its annual growth attracting an audience of 450 people. 50% of the delegates represented the world’s leading operators and gained an invaluable insight into the latest developments in the billing world.