When the first Wireless Congress: Systems & Applications  opened its doors 20 years ago, in 2004, the wireless world looked very different. Wireless Technology was in its infancy, and many applications were still emerging. Short Range Wireless Networks and especially Bluetooth, IEEE802.15.4 and ZigBee were in the starting blocks, UMTS 3G networks had just started their roll-outs, and Wireless LAN (Wi-Fi) introduced the IEEE802.11g standard with gross data rates of 54 Mbit/s. Also, the battle for Wi-Fi security was in full swing.

Even in its first year, the Wireless Congress was a premiere event for specialists to discuss all the different aspects of wireless communication. I remember presentations spanning the whole range from theoretical research analyses from academia to very practice-oriented presentations from industry, from components to systems, from applications to technologies.

Since those early days, the wireless world has grown and matured. And so has the Wireless Congress, which, however, is still pursuing the same objectives that it did 20 years ago. Over all these years, Wireless Congress has maintained its position at the leading-edge and is now a permanent fixture in the annual calendar of many developers, system designers, technology decision makers, project managers and wireless system authorities.

This is all the more true given recent stunning developments. Legacy technologies, like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi have seen many innovations and iterations. Fundamentally new technologies like Narrowband IoT/5G or Low-Power Wide Area Networks (LPWAN) have found acceptance in the markets. Today preparation for 6G mobile networks is in full swing, so much so that we already see wireless technologies as key enablers for innovative applications and business models in industrial, automotive, medical, energy, and many more applications.

With the 20th congress program we will continue to provide information on novel wireless technologies and applications. We are very much looking forward meeting you in Munich at the Wireless Congress 2023 – and having a birthday party!