trade shows technology when a number of Russian companies have been banned by the GSMA from exhibiting at MWC 2022, which begins on February 28.
According to Engadget, although the wireless technology association did not say which companies were barred from attending, it said there would be no Russian pavilion to display the country’s mobile products.
GSMA director John Hoffman said the organization has no plans to cancel or delay MWC 2022. However, it says on its website that it will respect all “sanctions and policies ” targeting Russia. Some companies are on the sanctions list, Hoffman added.
As with some trade shows, Russian companies such as the carrier VimpelCom can purchase dedicated showroom floor space for presence. Meanwhile, the main ban from the GSMA will mainly affect those companies that are relying on the Russian pavilion for a presence.
The bans come as technology increasingly serves as a battleground for Russia and its Western rivals. Facebook and Twitter have respectively taken steps to protect Ukrainians and those watching Russian military activities. In contrast, Russia restricted access to Facebook in retaliation for the actions of a subsidiary of Meta to restrict four Russian media outlets.