CUSTOMER CENTRICITY
We ’ ve talked in this issue already about the growing importance of high speed connectivity to a future in which the majority of work is done outside the office . One of the key lessons taught to us by the pandemic is that , not only will universal , resilient , highspeed connectivity be an essential building block of the next decade , but right now , digital infrastructure is still a ways away from meeting those needs .
This is the digital divide . The idea refers to a growing gap between the underprivileged members of society ( like the poor , rural , elderly , and handicapped portion of the population ) who live without access to computers or the internet , and the wealthy , middle-class , and young people living in urban and suburban areas who have access to and can afford it .
Around the world , the digital divide between affluent , urban , digitally served communities and remote , marginalised ones is threatening to get bigger as carriers focus their 5G ( and 4G LTE ) efforts on delivering faster service to more populous markets . In many ways , it ’ s another reflection of the income and wealth equality that persists throughout multiple regions . However , if the world is going to pivot in the direction of a post-COVID-19 world where people
“ THE PAST YEAR HAS TAUGHT US THAT IT ’ S IMPORTANT FOR THE SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS SECTOR TO BE FLEXIBLE AND ADAPTABLE ”
KYLE WHITEHILL CEO , AVANTI COMMUNICATIONS
can , and likely will , work from home , these disparities need to be addressed , before the benefits of the “ new normal ” become just another indicator of socio-economic and racial injustice .
Avanti : Breaking the Technical Barriers UK-based com-munications firm Avanti may present at least a piece of the puzzle when it comes to solving rural connectivity issues . Founded in 2002 , Avanti has spent the past 19 years growing into one of the global leaders in the race to deliver high-speed , universal telecom coverage from space . The company ’ s vision has been to design , build and launch a network of satellites that augment terrestrial telecom connectivity , broadening the reach of existing networks and bringing new generation tech ( like 5G ) to more people that was previously possible .
During the pandemic , Avanti CEO Kyle Whitehill notes that , “ there has been a push to ensure satellite communications have a well-defined role in 5G networks ,” adding , “ there is no doubt that 2020 was a challenging year for many . The past year has taught us that it ’ s important for the satellite communications sector to be flexible and adaptable , and now , more than ever , come together to connect those in rural and remote regions , keeping lines of communication open for government bodies and medical professionals in times of crisis .” mobile-magazine . com 109