They have an economic incentive just the same way they have the economic incentive to build better cellular infrastructure. Something they already invest in.
Investment in cellular infrastructure increases reach which increases the number of customers they can reach which increases profit.
Investment in distributed networks, reduces their own access to data about their customers because it would no longer go through their servers, which reduces income, at least for all of the companies that have an advertising business.
> Investment in cellular infrastructure increases reach which increases the number of customers they can reach which increases profit.
I could make this exact same argument about distributed networks. Along with the added selling point of safety, privacy, and security. Chat and share pictures with your friends while camping. Trying to contact your neighbors during a power outage?! There's a lot of angles to sell this.
> Investment in distributed networks, reduces their own access to data about their customers because it would no longer go through their servers
I have some serious doubts. If Google can still collect data you've collected while on airplane mode by just sending it once you reconnect to the network then they can do the same with this. If anything, I think it would increase the amount of data they can gather because it extends the capabilities of how one is able to communicate.
