GSMA says it has canceled Mobile World Congress after the coronavirus made it “impossible” to hold the event

MWC 2020 is no more — The world's biggest phone show, Mobile World Congress, is no longer taking place this year. After coronavirus threatened to throw MWC into chaos …

The Verge 2020-02-13 Tom Warren

Discussion

@yvonnemantv Yvonne Man on x
Meanwhile...more corporate fallout. MWC cancelled, China Grand Prix, and HK Rugby Sevens postponed according to TVB, SCMP. https://www.bloomberg.com/... via @technology
@leojtravis10 Joe Ortiz on x
Not a shock since safety comes first, but I have to feel for the people that already booked their rooms and stuff. https://twitter.com/...
@scobleizer Robert Scoble on x
This is terrifying for those of us in the event space. https://twitter.com/...
@spencerdailey Spencer Dailey on x
@Techmeme @tomwarren To be honest though, the MWC's stated plan to vet attendees (to prove they had been out of China for 14 days) in an enforceable manner (for a conf that had 100K+ attendees last year), seemed logistically impossible https://www.techmeme.com/...
@brianhonan @brianhonan on x
It will be interesting to see if @RSAConference will follow suit https://twitter.com/...
@iainthomson Iain Thomson on x
Mobile World Congress has been cancelled, without the government declaring a health emergency. The conference's insurers are going to have a long week of it.
@markgurman Mark Gurman on x
The impact here is on the city of Barcelona (hotels, venues, restaurants etc.) and travel budgets for companies and attendees (and what they may affect - airlines?). In terms of meetings and deals that would get done there, I think those can get re-scheduled pretty easily. https:…
@ruskin147 Rory Cellan-Jones on x
MWC cancelled - massive economic blow to Barcelona and mobile industry https://twitter.com/...
@danielthomasldn Daniel Thomas on x
In a statement confirming, the GSMA said that “global concern regarding the coronavirus outbreak, travel concern and other circumstances, make it impossible for the GSMA to hold the event”. Cancel those hotel rooms quick.
@dcseifert Dan Seifert on x
just booked a non refundable flight for MWC, excited to see what's announced there this year! now to just open my inbox and see what meetings I should schedule
@paulobrien Paul O'Brien on x
Wow. This is certainly unprecedented! https://twitter.com/...
@urbanstrata Jeff Gordon on x
All the companies who knew their demos just weren't quiiite ready for MWC. https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
@panzer Matthew Panzarino on x
Hear me out: let's hold MWC completely online on Discord.
@ingridlunden Ingrid on x
Another iconic MWC cornerstone company is out. I do wish GSMA would just move up their Friday plenary and put the rest of us out of our misery (or not). It's going to be ghost town at this rate. https://twitter.com/...

Chronicles

GSMA says it has canceled Mobile World Congress after the coronavirus made it “impossible” to hold the event

Related Coverage

Discussion