Mobile World Congress 2020 has been cancelled over coronavirus concerns

After several of the largest companies exhibiting at the show pulled out over the last week due to concerns over the coronavirus epidemic, GSMA has now announced that Mobile World Congress 2020 is officially cancelled…

In an emailed statement to both Bloomberg and the Financial Times, CEO of GSMA John Hoffman said the outbreak has made it “impossible” to hold the event. 

“Global concern regarding the coronavirus outbreak, travel concern and other circumstances, make it impossible for the GSMA to hold the event,” he said.

Financial Times reporter Daniel Thomas was first to report the news.

Among the companies that had already confirmed they would not attend were Amazon, Ericsson, Intel, LG, MediaTek, Nvidia, Sony, Vivo, Facebook, AT&T, Telus, and Nokia among others.

Update: Here’s the official statement from the GSMA:

Since the first edition of Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in 2006, the GSMA has convened the industry, governments, ministers, policymakers, operators and industry leaders across the broader ecosystem.

With due regard to the safe and healthy environment in Barcelona and the host country today, the GSMA has cancelled MWC Barcelona 2020 because the global concern regarding the coronavirus outbreak, travel concern and other circumstances, make it impossible for the GSMA to hold the event.

The Host City Parties respect and understand this decision.

The GSMA and the Host City Parties will continue to be working in unison and supporting each other for MWC Barcelona 2021 and future editions.

Our sympathies at this time are with those affected in China, and all around the world.

JUST IN: The 2020 Mobile World Congress has been canceled by GSMA because of #coronavirus fears.

In an emailed statement, John Hoffman, the CEO of GSMA, said the outbreak has made it "impossible" to hold the event #MWC2020 pic.twitter.com/PS1BqTCzU8

— Bloomberg Originals (@bbgoriginals) February 12, 2020

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