One industry expert who knows more than the average person should do about modern communications devices is Ben Wood, lead research analyst at U.K.-based CCS Insight and, in my view, the go-to individual for independent analysis of the smartphone market.

That doesn't mean Wood doesn't appreciate some last-century handset aesthetics -- here he is taking a break from a full morning of Ericsson AB presentations at the Sanderson Hotel in London.

CCS Insight analyst Ben Wood calls
the 19th century

As well as being a leading industry analyst and game for a laugh, Wood also knows more than most about the new venue for this year's Mobile World Congress, because he's been there. Check out his blog to find out more.

He told me that the new venue is a real step up from the previous location and that his only concern is about the (somewhat restricted) transport network connections to the show. When I suggested this was a classic backhaul infrastructure problem, Wood quite rightly gave me a clip around the ear and called me a "plumbing geek" (which I took to be a compliment).

He did, though, have a suggestion about how to avoid the transport crush. "If you've got a helicopter then you'll be OK!"

That's us sorted, then…

— Ray Le Maistre, International Managing Editor, Light Reading