BARCELONA, Spain -- I find myself in this Spanish city with 50,000 of my closest friends.

The reason? 3GSM World Congress, a five-day convention centered on GSM, or global system for mobile communications (see more on abbreviations later).

Sunday marked the day when people registered and got their barings.

The convention center called Fira is in Montjuic neighborhood, where the 1992 Olympics were held. The event is in more than eight buildings, a startling amount given the size of each one.

The contrast between the old and the new is readily apparent. Banners advertising the latest and sleekest cellphones cover some of the most ornate edifices. Motorola possibly has the largest ad, one that wraps around an abandoned bullring across from the event.

On the opposite side is the stately and very old National Museum of Art, which sits between the event and Olympic Stadium.

Click here for the conference site.