GSMA MWC 2020: Five tech giants giving "mecca of smartphone events" a miss

The Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2020 is scheduled to begin on February 27 in Barcelona, Spain.

Touted the mecca of smartphone events, each year global brands show their technology and give consumers an idea of what to expect from smartphone tech. This time around, however, five big names in the industry will skip the MWC 2020.

Amid the novel coronavirus (nCov) outbreak, Amazon, Sony, LG, Ericsson, and Nvidia have decided to not attend the event. All five cited the virus as reason, as it would put employees and customers at high risk.

Amazon told TechCrunch: "Due to the outbreak and continued concerns about nCov, Amazon will withdraw from exhibiting and participating in MWC 2020, Barcelona.”

Meanwhile, GSMA, the body that runs the MWC, posted an update to reassure participants that several precautionary measures against coronavirus would be implemented.

"While the GSMA confirms some large exhibitors have decided not to come to the show this year with others still contemplating next steps, we remain more than 2,800 exhibitors strong," the statement read.

GSMA announced that travellers from Hubei province (where Wuhan - the epicentre of the outbreak, is the capital) will not be permitted access to the event. It further said that exhibitors and travellers who have been in China will need to prove they were out of the country 14 days before the outbreak.

Other measures to avoid the speed of coronavirus at MWC 2020 include increased cleaning and disinfection programme across all high-volume touch-points, e.g. catering areas, surfaces, handrails, WCs, entrances/exits, public touch-screens, etc. along with the use of correct cleaning/sanitising materials and products.

The following are measures listed by the GSMA:

• Increased onsite medical support – doubled over last year
• Awareness campaign via online and onsite info-share and signage
• Availability of sanitising and disinfection materials for public use
• Awareness and training to all staff on standard personal preventative measures, e.g. personal hygiene, frequency of use of sanitising/disinfection products, etc.
• Advice to exhibitors on implementing effective cleaning and disinfection of stands, offices along with guidance on personal hygiene measures and common preventive behaviour
• Public health guidelines and advice communication to Barcelona hotels, public and private transport, restaurants and catering outlets, retail, etc.
• Installing new signage onsite reminding attendees of hygiene recommendations
• Implementing a microphone disinfecting and change protocol for all speakers
• Communicating advice to all attendees to adopt a ‘no-handshake policy’
• A 24-hour telephone Security and Medical service for all attendees, operational from February 12-29. This number appears on the back of badge holders, in the event App and on signage around the venue.