In a wireless world, making connections is surprisingly difficult

Well, I’m on my way out the door to Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. As you read this, the opening keynote should be just under way.
There is nothing like a wireless show on foreign soil to underscore the differences and difficulties with wireless internationally — whether they’re cultural or technical. I usually experience trouble with both, whether its rolling my Rs long enough to properly pronounce Las Ramblas Street or gathering those “free” Wi-Fi cards they hand out in droves to press at the show, which don’t actually work.
This year will be better I am sure.
I have vowed to be better organized this year so here is what I have packed so far: laptop, laptop cord, extra laptop battery, camera, camera cord, borrowed phone, borrowed phone charger, international adapter, digital recorder, recorder cord, flash drive. Hmm, should I bring my phone for the calendar function even though it won’t work internationally? Do I need more cords? (Is this a wireless show?)
And how will I transmit stories in Spain? From the press room? Probably not. As a general rule, our editorial staff doesn’t have good luck with press rooms. Two years ago at the show, there was no connectivity in the press room. (It was a huge mess and very funny, except if you were on deadline and planning to write from the press room. The technicians scrambling to get an Internet connection in a room sponsored by Telefonica and Qualcomm were especially ironic.)
Last year when Managing Editor Dan Meyer and content-beat king Colin Gibbs attended, they assured me the best place to connect was at T-Mobile’s Wi-Fi tent, which by the way also offered free beer. They were so impressed with this location they called internationally — at an estimated $8 a minute — to tell us about it. And they sent pictures. Of beer. And eventually a few stories.
If you see stories online and in print from Online Editor Mike Dano and me this week, it means we conquered international reporting challenges. If you don’t, it means they are not offering free beer at the T-Mobile tent.