Despite the billions of dollars spent every year on internet infrastructure, the market and our mobile lifestyle are increasing the gap between capacity and demand. Consumers often face slow data connections or high prices for broadband internet access…when it is available. This problem may only increase as manufacturers of mobile phones, tablets, TVs, cars and kitchen appliances continue to hop on the internet connectivity bandwagon.

According to IDC’s research, in the next three years at least five billion new mobile devices will try to connect to the internet and to one another — and that’s not even counting the new “things” of the internet of things.

As Google and Facebook look to drones, balloons and satellites to deliver the internet to the world, it’s worth remembering that one of the most powerful pieces in the quest for global internet access isn’t up in the sky. It’s down in our pockets.

The…