Major Telecom Trade Show Canceled Over Coronavirus Scare

By Kelcee Griffis
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Law360 (February 12, 2020, 2:59 PM EST ) The organizers of a massive telecom trade show in Barcelona have canceled the event based on concerns about the coronavirus outbreak, mobile trade group GSMA announced Wednesday.

Workers clean the windows in one of the entrances at the Mobile World Congress 2020 venue in Barcelona on Tuesday. Organizers of the world's biggest mobile technology fair are pulling the plug over worries about the viral outbreak from China.

The announcement displaces a high number of industry professionals and regulators who had planned to travel abroad for the Mobile World Congress, including Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai, Republican FCC Commissioner Michael O'Rielly and Democratic FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel.

"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," organizers said in a statement.

As of Sunday, the Feb. 24-27 event had still been on track to run, though organizers said in a press statement at the time that "some large exhibitors have decided not to come to the show this year with others still contemplating next steps." The GSMA was still counting on nearly 3,000 exhibitors showing up but said it would bar attendees from the affected Hubei province and people who had recently visited China.

An FCC spokesperson declined to comment on how the cancellation will affect Pai's plans, as he's been away from D.C. and traveling in the western U.S. this week. Staffers for Rosenworcel and O'Rielly didn't immediately return requests for comment.

As of Wednesday afternoon, all three FCC members were still listed as speakers on the event page.

--Editing by Marygrace Murphy.

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