While the Electronics Entertainment Expo (E3) has been moved to an online-only event this year due to the rising number of Omicron cases, the GSM Association is going ahead with its plans for an in-person Mobile World Congress (MWC) event next month. In a recent statement, the GSMA confirmed that MWC 2022 will continue as planned, unlike the last two years.

The GSMA told TechRadar: "Planning for MWC remains dynamic given the ever-changing global circumstances. We are continuously responding to the latest information available from various officials and adapt plans accordingly. Our teams are busy preparing for MWC Barcelona scheduled to take place at the end of February and we encourage you to check our website for all the information you need on planning a safe experience."

MWC 2022 is scheduled to take place from February 28 to March 3 in Barcelona, Spain.

It's worth noting that the recently concluded Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2022 in Las Vegas was also an in-person event. But several major companies, including Amazon, Google, OnePlus, Lenovo, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Intel, dropped out of the physical event citing safety concerns, and continued with online-only announcements of their latest innovations. Given the sudden rise of Omicron cases around the world, it seems like MWC 2022 will have a similar fate.

The GSMA has assured that it will take all necessary precautions to provide a safe environment to MWC 2022 attendees. On its website, it has outlined several guidelines for attendees, including COVID-19 vaccination certification requirements. If you're planning on making your way to Barcelona to attend the event, head over to the MWC website to check all the requirements before registering.