Mobile World Congress 2022 kicked off in Barcelona this week, but Russia was not among the attendees welcomed on the show floor.
In a statement, GSMA condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“In light of this emerging situation and considering the tragic loss of life, MWC seems immaterial under the circumstances,” GSMA said in its February 28 statement. “MWC is a unifying event with a vision to convene the mobile ecosystem to progress ways and means that connectivity can ensure people, industry, and society thrive.”
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As for additional security measures and the number of Russian companies that were turned away, a GSMA press spokesperson declined to say. GSMA CEO John Hoffman told Reuters that a “handful, a few” Russian companies and their executives would be banned but didn’t name them.
In prior years, Russia could be found among the many countries exhibiting at MWC. GSMA typically hosts attendees from some 200 countries at the annual convention in Barcelona.
In early February, organizers said they expected more than 150 countries to be represented and 37 country pavilions at the industry’s biggest trade show in Barcelona. Attendance was pegged to be somewhere in the 40,000-60,000 range this year, about half what it was in a normal year before Covid.
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During a Monday keynote address, Vodafone CEO Nick Reed started off by acknowledging the situation in Ukraine.
“With the backdrop of the Ukraine war, it’s a conference like this that reminds me of the importance of global sectors and communities like ours working together to advance society. Our thoughts go out to everyone affected by the war,” Reed said.
On Tuesday, Nokia told Reuters it will stop deliveries to Russia to comply with sanctions imposed on the country following the military assault on Ukraine. Nokia supplies equipment to MTS, Vimplecom, Megfon and Tele2 in Russia.
Last week, U.S. cell phone carriers AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon said they were waiving fees for calls and texts from the U.S. to Ukraine for their consumer and business customers.