MWC 2020 to proceed as scheduled despite coronavirus spread

The Mobile World Congress 2020 will proceed as planned, according to a statement released by London-based GSMA on Tuesday local time. The event will kick off in Barcelona, Spain, on Feb. 24-27.

The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting more than 750 operators with almost 400 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem. It organizes MWC events annually in Barcelona, Los Angeles and Shanghai.

The announcement comes amid mounting concerns over the novel coronavirus outbreak in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.

In the statement, GSMA said that it is “monitoring and assessing the potential impact of the coronavirus on MWC Barcelona 2020.” The organizer added that it will follow and adhere to recommendations from the World Health Organization, the Chinese government, the Spanish health authority and all police recommendations and protocols.

GSMA also said it will dispatch additional medical staff on-site and provide sanitizing products throughout all venues of the event.

The MWC usually attracts substantial number of attendees and exhibitors from China, including representatives from ZTE, Xiaomi and Huawei.

SK Telecom and LG Electronics, two major Korean firms sending exhibitors to the MWC Barcelona 2020, said they are currently planning on proceeding as scheduled.

By Shim Woo-hyun (ws@heraldcorp.com)