MWC 2020 Cancelled due to Covid-19 Fear

COVID-19 has done it again. MWC Barcelona 2020 has been canceled for the safety and health of the people in Barcelona. GSMA made this decision on Wednesday as more and more companies also decided to pull out of the event.

Some companies had taken precautions to attend the event while other companies like Sony, Ericsson, Intel and etc have decided not to attend.

Not sure how big the impact will be to cancel a show at almost the last minute but GSMA must have already prepared for it.

I could imagine the difficulty to manage contact tracing should someone got Novel Coronavirus during the event since it is a multi-national event.

This year, MWC 2020 is supposed to showcase 5G technology and many companies are prepared to show off their latest products, especially 5G phones.

With the cancellation, will companies go ahead with their launch there or will they fully adhere to the GSMA’s decision? Many companies will definitely be scrambling to get their decisions done in the next day or so.

Kudos to GSMA to make this tough decision. And for those who had intended to attend this event, please take note of the cancellation.

Here is the official statement.

GSMA STATEMENT ON MWC 2020

12 February 2020, Barcelona: Since the first edition of Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in 2006, the GSMA has convened the industry, governments, ministers, policymakers, operators and industry leaders across the broader ecosystem.

With due regard to the safe and healthy environment in Barcelona and the host country today, the GSMA has cancelled MWC Barcelona 2020 because the global concern regarding the coronavirus outbreak, travel concern and other circumstances, make it impossible for the GSMA to hold the event.

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The Host City Parties respect and understand this decision.

The GSMA and the Host City Parties will continue to be working in unison and supporting each other for MWC Barcelona 2021 and future editions.

Our sympathies at this time are with those affected in China, and all around the world.

Further updates from the GSMA, are on our website and can be found on www.mwcbarcelona.com.

-ENDS-

About the GSMA
The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting more than 750 operators and nearly 400 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and internet companies, as well as organisations in adjacent industry sectors. The GSMA also produces the industry-leading MWC events held annually in Barcelona, Shanghai and Los Angeles, as well as the Mobile 360 Series of regional conferences.

For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.com. Follow the GSMA on Twitter: @GSMA.

(source)