In order for the networked economy to make the full leap from concept to the mainstay of everyday life, the infrastructure must be in place.
Not just the hardware – the mobile devices, the tablets, the wearables, the VR headsets.
We’re talking broadband itself, the high-speed Internet access that brings data, video, and all kinds of information to and from these devices.
The effort to expand broadband access — and more importantly, to bring low-latency broadband to the world — was launched on Tuesday (May 5).
Connected Economy, Rocket by Rocket
For these satellites, as the e-commerce giant said in its April 5 announcement, Amazon has secured 83 launches on three rockets launched by Arianespace, Blue Origin and United Launch Alliance.
“These agreements mean we have sufficient capacity to launch the majority of the 3,236 satellites that make up our satellite constellation,” Amazon said in the statement. The launches will happen over the next few years, and Amazon has said the satellites will bring fast, affordable broadband to unserved and underserved communities. Amazon is working with Verizon to leverage the telecom network to bring this broadband access to the market more widely.
Continue reading: Amazon uses Verizon Network for satellite fleet
Amazon’s satellite plans have, as has been widely reported, grown in competition with Elon Musk’s Starlink system.
But beyond the competitive tussle, there is a palpable desire to embrace broadband, and with it a continuum of related services, through a ‘digital front door’.
As PYMNTS research found, consumers have increasingly embraced lives lived online and in connected ways. As many as 67% of consumers would like to use a super app to manage their digital activities. All the while, with an app as their anchor, they can do everything in one place, from managing their finances to ordering food to getting their daily social media fix.
Also read: How US consumers define the super app
But if we get into a little more detail, we see some unevenness in the emerging formation of the networked economy. As shown by other PYMNTS studies, the Pacific and South Atlantic regions of the US have the highest levels of digital engagement and interest in super apps – they are used by 46% of daily activities. The lowest level of digital engagement was recorded in the Midwest at 33%.
Consumer interest in using a super app is highest in the South Atlantic region, where 65% of consumers say they have some level of interest in a super app.
See: The most digitally active consumers are also the ones who want a super app the most
The interest is there and broad-based – it’s just waiting for broadband, so to speak.
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NEW PYMNTS DATA: WHY PATIENT PORTALS BECOME TABLE INSERTS FOR CONSUMERS
About: Patient portals are now a must for healthcare providers – so much so that 61% of patients interested in using the tools say they would switch to a healthcare provider that offers one. For Accessing Healthcare: Easing Digital Frictions In The Patient Journey, a collaboration between PYMNTS and Experian Health, PYMNTS surveyed 2,333 consumers to learn how healthcare providers can alleviate digital pain points to improve patient care and satisfaction.
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