Coronavirus pushes ZTE to cancel its press conference at the year’s largest phone show – The Verge, The Verge

  

Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, ​​Spain, is the world’s largest mobile trade show, but the coronavirus will be making it a little smaller this year. Chinese phone manufacturer and telecom giant ZTE just confirmed that it’s canceling its press conference at MWC , citing secondary effects of the virus outbreak.

It’s partly due to practical issues like travel and visa delays, a spokesperson tells The Verge – some people weren’t going to make it to Barcelona in time anyhow – but the mild case of xenophobia that accompanies the disease may also play a role. “[We] Tend to be an overly courteous company, and simply don’t want to make people uncomfortable,” writes the rep.

ZTE announced its first 5G phone at Mobile World Congress last year.

So far, the organization that runs MWC has maintained that the show “will proceed as planned” and

issued a statement hours ago that there have been “minimal impact on the event thus far.” Here’s a list of measures the GSMA is taking against the spread of the virus:

Increased cleaning and disinfection program across all high-volume touchpoints, e.g. catering areas, surfaces, handrails, WCs, entrances / exits, public touch-screens, etc. along with the use of correct cleaning / sanitising materials and products

Increased onsite medical support

Awareness campaign via online and onsite info-share and signage

Availability of sanitizing and disinfection materials for public use

Awareness and training to all staff and associates on standard personal preventative measures, e.g. personal hygiene, frequency of use of sanitising / disinfection products, etc.

Advice to exhibitors on implementing effective cleaning and disinfection of stands, offices along with guidance on personal hygiene measures and common preventive behavior

Public health guidelines and advice communication to Barcelona hotels, public and private transport, restaurants and catering outlets, retail, etc.

Installing new signage onsite reminding attendees of hygiene recommendations

Implementing a mic change protocol in production for speakers

Communicating advice to all attendees to adopt a ‘no-handshake policy’

So far,

the coronavirus has killed over , people, sickened over , , impacted travel as many airlines have suspended flights , caused tech companies like Apple to temporarily shut down all offices out of an abundance of caution, and may threaten production . ZTE’s fellow Chinese tech giant Huawei postponed a developer conference Due to the virus, too. We’re waiting to see whether business as usual resumes when China’s government-extended holiday ends on or around February 23 th or if the situation will extend further.