Nokia withdrew from Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2020 in Barcelona after making an "objective decision" on the health risks posed by the coronavirus epidemic. The crisis casts a shadow over this year's event, which begins on February 24. Several large technology companies have canceled their presence, which represents more than 10% of the 240,000 square meters of exhibition sold. The telecoms equipment giant was to use the event to develop its 5G and networking portfolio, but will now host a series of "Nokia Live" events to showcase its planned MWC announcements.
Nokia MWC 2020
"While the health and safety of our employees is our top priority, we also recognize that we have a responsibility to the industry and to our customers," the company said in a statement. "Given this, we take the time to assess a rapidly evolving situation, engage with the GSMA and other stakeholders, consult regularly with external experts and authorities, and plan for risk management based on a wide range of scenarios." "The conclusion of this process is that we believe that the prudent decision is to cancel our participation in the Mobile World Congress. We would like to express our gratitude to the GSMA, the Chinese and Spanish governments, as well as the Generalitat de Catalunya, and many others who have worked tirelessly to meet the challenges stemming from the novel coronavirus, and that they have our full support as they progress." Amazon, Ericsson, Facebook, Intel, LG, Nvidia, Sony and Vivo were among those who said they would not participate, and some they chose to delay the release of the phones or store them elsewhere. With travel restrictions to and from China also having an impact, Huawei and ZTE are expected to increase representation from their European offices. HMD Global, which makes Nokia smartphones, is still scheduled to attend. The GSMA, the organizer of the event, has so far stated that it will follow the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), the Chinese government and Spanish authorities. It also said it would provide additional medical assistance and disinfection products throughout the site. However, the CMM may not take place at all. The GSMA would meet this Friday to decide to organize or cancel the event.