Baby Number Two is due any moment -- So I'm not going to MWC!

I’ve had a lot of enquiries from readers wondering if I’ll be at Mobile World Congress this year. Normally, that’s an automatic yes.

I thoroughly enjoy the opportunity to ‘meet the industry’ in Barcelona. Yes, it’s seriously tiring and yes, the thieves and vagabonds roaming Barcelona are seriously unpleasant. However MWC is a brilliant occasion for connecting with mobile companies and individuals — and it’s especially useful for taking the temperature of the marketplace.

But this year, I’ve got an exception: BNT. That’s code for Baby-Number-Two. The due date is this Friday but the reality is the baby could arrive just about any time from now until about the last day of Mobile World Congress.

Whilst you are all of considerable importance to me, there comes a time when a chap has to accept reality and responsibility: I can’t be galavanting around Barcelona if the baby’s just arrived. Or actually arriving.

My overarching focus across the MWC period will be on the new baby, helping my wife and entertaining wee Archie (currently 20 months old and fast becoming an iPad expert, by the way).

So there’s a small chance I will make it to Barcelona.

For that reason I haven’t been booking meetings.

Instead, I’ve been taking a substantial amount of pre-briefings — way more than I would normally do. If anything, the week before MWC is looking to be busier than the actual MWC-week for me, especially since I can be a lot more efficient via the telephone.

I am supremely confident at being able to deliver a super set of perspectives during the MWC week whether I’m at the show or not. Indeed, a lot of the pre-briefings I’ve already held under embargo are sounding absolutely fantastic.

I think it’s going to be a bumper MWC.

[ By the way — for PRs: I’ve still got a bit of space left for pre-briefings. If I haven’t managed to reply to your email or call yet, please just give me a nudge! ]