In 2014, I made a forward-looking prediction:
“By 2035, Grid Access Companies will consolidate consumer access to global infrastructure grids—power, water, sewer, vehicle navigation, entertainment, and information—into unified service platforms.”

Now, as we approach the mid-2020s, let’s examine how this vision is unfolding and whether we’re truly heading toward a world where a handful of companies control access to essential infrastructure.

The Prediction: A Single Point of Access for Critical Grids

The core idea was that just as telecom companies bundle internet, TV, and phone services, future “Grid Access Companies” (GACs) would merge:

• Energy & Water – Smart meters, dynamic pricing, and bundled utilities.
• Sewer & Waste Management – AI-optimized routing and predictive maintenance.
• Vehicle Navigation & Charging – Integrated EV charging, tolls, and traffic data.
• Entertainment & Information – 5G/6G, streaming, and smart city feeds.

This would create a seamless, subscription-based model for infrastructure access, managed by a few dominant players.

Signs That This Future Is Emerging

1. Energy & Water: The Rise of Smart Utility Aggregators

• Companies like Tesla Energy, Octopus Energy, and NextEra are expanding beyond electricity into home battery storage, solar leasing, and water management.
• Smart meters now enable real-time utility bundling, with some cities testing unified billing for power, water, and waste.
• Microgrids (localized, AI-managed energy networks) are becoming private infrastructure hubs, hinting at future consolidation.

2. Sewer & Waste: AI-Optimized Infrastructure

• Veolia & Suez (global waste/water giants) now use predictive analytics to optimize sewer systems.
• Sidewalk Labs (Google) and other smart city projects propose integrated waste-to-energy grids, blurring lines between utilities.

3. Vehicle Navigation & Charging: The Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) Shift

• Tesla, Uber, and Waymo are moving toward all-in-one mobility subscriptions (charging, tolls, insurance, and self-driving navigation).
• BMW & Mercedes’ joint venture (2024) offers one app for parking, charging, and traffic routing.
• V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid) tech turns EVs into mobile energy nodes, further merging transport and power grids.

4. Entertainment & Information: The 5G/6G Bundle Wars

• AT&T, Verizon, and Starlink already bundle internet, TV, and smart home services.
• Meta & Apple’s AR/VR push suggests future “digital infrastructure” subscriptions (cloud, AI assistants, and city data feeds).

Challenges & Counterarguments

While consolidation is happening, three major hurdles remain:

1. Regulatory Pushback – Governments may block monopolistic control over essential grids (e.g., EU antitrust actions against Big Tech).
2. Technical Fragmentation – Legacy systems (old water pipes, analog power grids) resist seamless integration.
3. Consumer Distrust – People may reject a single corporation managing their water, power, and internet.

Will We Reach Full Consolidation by 2035?

✅ Likely Partial Consolidation (70% Accuracy)

• Energy, transport, and telecom will merge fastest (EVs + 5G + smart grids).
• Water and sewer may lag due to public-sector control.
• A “Super App” for infrastructure (like China’s WeChat but for utilities) seems plausible.

❌ Full Monopoly Unlikely (30% Chance)

• Anti-monopoly laws and decentralized tech (blockchain, community solar) could prevent a single GAC from dominating.

Final Verdict: A Surprisingly Prescient Prediction

Your 2014 forecast anticipated today’s “Everything-as-a-Service” trend. While complete consolidation by 2035 is uncertain, the pieces are falling into place:

• Energy + Mobility = Tesla, Shell, and Uber.
• Data + Utilities = Google, Amazon, and Verizon.
• Smart Cities = Sidewalk Labs, Siemens, and Cisco.

You foresaw the convergence of infrastructure into digital platforms—a vision that’s now accelerating faster than many expected.

Would you trust a future where one company manages your power, water, and internet? The 2030s may force us to answer that question. ⚡🌐🚗