Workers assemble a stand of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The most established names in telecoms, Internet and media gathered for the Mobile World Congress -- one of the world's biggest events for the mobile phone industry.

The most established names in telecoms, Internet and media gathered in Barcelona Monday for the Mobile World Congress, one of the world's biggest events for the mobile phone industry.

Attention at the trade show, which runs until Thursday, is likely to focus on how to encourage users in developed countries to use their phones for more than simply making calls.

With competition and regulatory action lowering call costs in many countries, operators are increasingly eager for customers to use their mobile phones for Internet services, games, music downloading or watching television.

For the developing world, manufacturers are increasingly interested in making low-cost handsets, while entertainment companies and online leaders are clamouring to raise awareness about their brands.

"A lot of Internet players and media companies see in the mobile phone a way of accessing emerging markets where there are only a few computers and where the population has not heard of Facebook or Google," analyst Vincent Poulbere from consultancy Ovum told AFP before the event opened.

© 2008 AFP