Mobile World Congress axed after firms quit over coronavirus fears | Technology | The Guardian
(theguardian.com)
The Mobile World Congress was scheduled to take place on 24 February. Photograph: Lluís Gené/AFP/Getty
The world’s largest mobile phone trade fair, Mobile World Congress, has been cancelled after scores of the world’s biggest technology and telecommunications companies pulled out over fears of the spread of coronavirus.
The MWC, which was due to be held in Barcelona on 24 February, was expecting more than 100,000 delegates from about 200 countries across the four days of the conference.
On Wednesday, GSMA, which organises the congress, was forced to admit it would have to axe this year’s event after more than 40 companies pulled out citing health and safety concerns.
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The list of no-shows had grown to become a who’s who of the world’s biggest tech and telco firms including BT, the owner of mobile firm EE, Facebook, Nokia, Ericsson, the US chipmaker Intel, Cisco, Amazon, Vodafone and Germany’s Deutsche Telekom.
The Chinese firm Huawei, the controversial smartphone and 5G component maker that was scheduled to be one of the event’s biggest exhibitors, had flown employees to Spain to self-quarantine in advance.
The GSMA had banned travellers from Hubei, the city at the centre of the virus outbreak. Approximately 5,000-6,000 (5-6%) of the attendees each year have come from China.
The trade show’s organisers had attempted to allay concerns by announcing more stringent health and safety measures including a ban on handshakes and taking attendees’ temperatures.
However, this appeared to backfire, galvanising companies who had been monitoring the situation to confirm they would pull out.John Hoffman, the chief executive of GSMA, said the virus had made it impossible to hold the event.
The organisation will have to bear the cost of a full cancellation unless the Spanish government changes its position on the coronavirus and moves to declare a health alert.
It will also represent a significant loss to Barcelona and the city’s hospitality industry. The show is estimated to be worth about €500m (£420m) to the city and provides 14,000 part-time jobs for local workers.
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The world’s largest mobile phone trade fair, Mobile World Congress, has been cancelled after scores of the world’s biggest technology and telecommunications companies pulled out over fears of the spread of coronavirus.
The MWC, which was due to be held in Barcelona on 24 February, was expecting more than 100,000 delegates from about 200 countries across the four days of the conference.
On Wednesday, GSMA, which organises the congress, was forced to admit it would have to axe this year’s event after more than 40 companies pulled out citing health and safety concerns.
Q&AHow can I protect myself from the coronavirus outbreak?Show
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The list of no-shows had grown to become a who’s who of the world’s biggest tech and telco firms including BT, the owner of mobile firm EE, Facebook, Nokia, Ericsson, the US chipmaker Intel, Cisco, Amazon, Vodafone and Germany’s Deutsche Telekom.
The Chinese firm Huawei, the controversial smartphone and 5G component maker that was scheduled to be one of the event’s biggest exhibitors, had flown employees to Spain to self-quarantine in advance.
The GSMA had banned travellers from Hubei, the city at the centre of the virus outbreak. Approximately 5,000-6,000 (5-6%) of the attendees each year have come from China.
The trade show’s organisers had attempted to allay concerns by announcing more stringent health and safety measures including a ban on handshakes and taking attendees’ temperatures.
However, this appeared to backfire, galvanising companies who had been monitoring the situation to confirm they would pull out.John Hoffman, the chief executive of GSMA, said the virus had made it impossible to hold the event.
The organisation will have to bear the cost of a full cancellation unless the Spanish government changes its position on the coronavirus and moves to declare a health alert.
It will also represent a significant loss to Barcelona and the city’s hospitality industry. The show is estimated to be worth about €500m (£420m) to the city and provides 14,000 part-time jobs for local workers.
We won’t let Brexit come between us…
… and we hope you feel the same. Britain may be leaving the EU, but the Guardian remains committed to Europe, doubling down on the ideas and interests that we share. Our independent, fact-based reporting will inform Britain about Europe, Europe about Britain, and the rest of the world about both.
These are turbulent, decade-defining times. But we will stay with you, delivering quality journalism so we can all make up our minds based on fact, not fiction.
More people, like you, are reading and supporting the Guardian’s independent, investigative journalism than ever before. And unlike many news organisations, we made the choice to keep our reporting open for all, regardless of where they live or what they can afford to pay.
The Guardian will engage with the most critical issues of our time – from the escalating climate emergency to widespread inequality to the influence of big tech on our lives.
At a time when factual information is a necessity, we believe that each of us, around the world, deserves access to accurate reporting with integrity at its heart.
Our editorial independence means we set our own agenda and voice our own opinions. Guardian journalism is free from commercial and political bias and not influenced by billionaire owners or shareholders. This means we can give a voice to those less heard, explore where others turn away, and rigorously challenge those in power.
We hope you will consider supporting us today. We need your support to keep delivering quality journalism that’s open and independent. Every reader contribution, however big or small, is so valuable.
Support the Guardian from as little as €1 – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.
Support The Guardian
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Francisco Gimeno - BC Analyst Is this an incoming Black Swan event? Rumours and fake media contribute to the fear. The best way to approach this is to be aware, to prepare for anything, and always consider the fundamentals of humanness our modern society has established.