• Mobile World Congress. Between folding smartphones, gadgets and great alliances for 5G
  • Censis: Italians anxious and dependent on smartphones: 73.8% have one

Share

05 February 2020 The coronavirus also makes its effects felt at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona held every year in late February. The Lg group, one of the most important world producers, which traditionally occupies one of the most important stands of the event held from 24 to 27 February, has announced that it will not participate in the event in order to preserve "the safety of its employees, partners and customers. " LG has therefore stated that it will present its new products during other events "soon".

The Chinese houses, which like every year are in the foreground in Barcelona for the presentation of devices and technologies, have made it known that there will be, albeit with precautions.

Huawei and Zte will be there, with precautions
The Chinese technology giant Huawei has declared that it will participate in the Mobile World Congress (MWC), the most important fair in the world on mobile telephony, albeit in reduced ranks and with more representatives arriving from its centers in Europe rather than from China, thus denying some news had questioned in the last hours the presence of the Chinese giants at the appointment.

The Chinese group Zte, which manufactures cell phones and telecommunication equipment, has announced that it has adopted "strong prevention, control and security measures" in the face of the risk of spreading the virus.

The leaders of the group to participate in the business meetings in Barcelona "will have to isolate themselves in Europe at least two weeks before the MWC", the incubation period of the virus. The Chinese group's stand and its equipment will also be disinfected every day, while the staff presenting the products will not come from China but mainly from Europe. Group employees traveling to Barcelona from China must not exhibit any symptoms within two weeks of their departure.

Organizers and government confirm event
The organizer of the event, or the GSMA, underlined in a press release that "it continues to monitor and evaluate the potential impact of the coronavirus" and stressed that it has "taken many measures to help mitigate the spread of the virus". More than 109,000 people from all over the world are expected to attend the MWC this year.

The government of Catalonia has made it known that it "does not contemplate" the suspension of this year's MWC edition. There is "no element" that makes one "alert" and think about "some danger" from the coronavirus epidemic, explained Industry Manager Angels Chacon, interviewed by Catalunya Radio.