It also opens up vast potential for new products and services that ride on top of that operating platform an opportunity that is, no doubt, not lost on Google (and which I will explore in depth in Part 4).
In order to deliver equivalent land-based performance, MTN has invested in the design and launch of special-purpose satellite payloads that will ride on the next generation Intelsat EPIC platform which will offer at-sea communications experience which is presently impossible to achieve.
Android phones may also ride the surge in mobile virtual goods sales, but the platform will need to do a better job of luring gamers and game developers first.