Nokia withdraws from OFC 2020 over novel coronavirus concerns

In a statement on Friday, the OFC organizers said the conference will be held as planned whilst highlighting that the management is fully committed to taking appropriate precautions to provide a safe and healthy environment for attendees.

Nokia said Friday it has pulled out of the Optical Networking and Communication Conference & Exhibition (OFC 2020), citing concerns about the novel coronavirus outbreak. The conference is scheduled to be held at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California from March 8 to March 12.

In a press release, the Finnish telecom company said, "Nokia has taken the decision to withdraw its exhibition participation from OFC 2020 in San Diego, California (March 8-12) after a full assessment of the risks related to the continued spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus and growing concerns about it."

"Our primary focus has been to safeguard the health and well-being of our employees and others while also recognizing the responsibility to the industry and customers. Since its outbreak, we have been carefully monitoring the situation and believe this is the most prudent decision," it further added.

OFC is the largest global conference and exhibition for optical communications and networking professionals. The five-day technical conference convenes research, engineering, and industry leaders from all over the globe to explore the latest trends and new developments in optical communications including 5G, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Machine Learning (ML).

In a statement on Friday, the OFC Management clarified that the conference will be held as planned whilst highlighting that they are fully committed to taking appropriate precautions to provide a safe and healthy environment for attendees.

"OFC 2020 is going strong and will be held as planned 8 – 12 March in San Diego, California USA. Many registrants continue to express their excitement for the show, and while we respect the decision of the minority number of exhibitors who decided to cancel their participation due to the Coronavirus, we look forward to partnering with them in the future," said the OFC statement on COVID-19.

"We strongly urge exhibitors and attendees to implement appropriate guidelines and protocols as suggested by the WHO and other health authorities. OFC will endeavor to provide a safe and healthy environment for all attendees," it further added.