The traditional telecom industry is grappling with significant challenges in the digital age. While advancements like 5G promise faster connectivity, telecom operators continue to struggle with financial pressures and outdated business models that limit their growth potential. The rollout of 5G requires massive capital investments, but revenue from traditional services such as voice calls and SMS is declining, partly due to competition from free alternatives like WhatsApp and WeChat. Meanwhile, efforts to develop value-added services have been slow, leaving operators financially strained.
Despite generating 41.5% more revenue than internet giants, telecom companies face low profitability, with margins at just 23% of their counterparts. Their net income hovers around 5%, and their market valuations are only 30% of those of internet firms—reflecting investor skepticism towards capital-intensive, low-growth models.
The industry’s reliance on rigid contracts and fixed fees limits flexibility and undermines customer experience, while more user-centric internet platforms thrive on accessibility and inclusivity. These challenges underscore the urgent need for telecom operators to innovate.
Roam: Decentralized Innovation for Telecom
Roam provides a groundbreaking solution that bridges the gap between Web2 and Web3, reimagining telecommunications through decentralization. With traditional WiFi networks carrying more than 70% of global data traffic due to cost-efficiency, the reliance on legacy infrastructure limits their potential. Roam addresses this gap with its self-developed WiFi routers, equipped with advanced protocols like WiFi 6 to deliver faster, more secure connections. By integrating OpenRoaming technology in collaboration with the WiFi Alliance and Wireless Broadband Alliance, Roam ensures seamless logins and end-to-end encryption, improving both user privacy and connectivity.
Through Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) and Verifiable Credentials (VCs), Roam enhances privacy and security by eliminating the need for centralized databases. Roam’s decentralized OpenRoaming nodes allow users to connect securely across millions of hotspots worldwide, with encrypted connections safeguarding sensitive data. This ensures that free network access is both seamless and secure, meeting the demand for reliable global connectivity.
Roam eSIM: A Seamless Global Connectivity Solution
Roam eSIM offers a seamless alternative solution for its global open wireless network vision. Users can activate data plans directly on their devices, avoiding the hassle of physical SIM cards. Covering over 160+ countries, Roam’s eSIM provides flexible, affordable plans tailored for global users.
What sets Roam apart is its incentivized ecosystem. Users can earn free eSIM data or Roam Points by participating in activities such as Check-Ins. These points can be burned for $ROAM tokens or redeemed for various rewards within the Roam ecosystem. The eSIM provides one last instant free puzzle for Roam open wireless network map, ensuring seamless global connectivity.
Empowering Communities Through Free Access and Decentralization
Roam revolutionizes telecom by offering free wireless access while incentivizing users to co-build a decentralized network. By upgrading or sharing their WiFi, users earn Roam Points, creating a sustainable growth cycle that eliminates traditional user costs. Additionally, through ecosystem collaborations, users can earn rewards by sharing resources like CDN bandwidth using hardware nodes such as the Roam Rainier MAX60 router.
This community-driven approach has driven exceptional growth. As of December 2024, Roam boasts over 1.5 million registered users and 900,000 self-built network nodes, extending its reach to remote regions like the Siberian Plateau, Northern Canada, and Alaska. The launch of its eSIM in October catalyzed user growth, with registrations climbing from 750,000 to over 1 million in under 20 days. With more than 600,000 daily interactions validating the network, Roam achieves an engagement level unmatched by traditional telecom operators.
In just a year, without significant marketing investments, Roam has experienced phenomenal growth in both user base and node deployment, solidifying its position as a leading DePIN project. According to DePINscan.io, Roam ranks first among DePIN projects, attracting considerable attention from traditional telecom operators.
Roam has moved beyond the traditional “pipe” model, creating a co-built ecosystem where users play an active role in network construction and optimization. This collaboration has led to a more robust and secure network. For example, during an AMA on app design, there are over 300 suggestions submitted in just one hour, showcasing active participation of the community.
Bridging Web2 and Web3 for Mass Adoption
Roam is building a decentralized global open wireless network by integrating Web3 technologies with the OpenRoaming framework. It aims at becoming a Telecom Data Layer to support the DePIN ecosystem. As the user base grows, the Roam protocol could provide 3W data based on geographical locations for Web3 projects like SocialFi and GameFi, while Roam could generate revenue from both its network nodes and the expanding user base. Looking to the future, Roam plans to integrate AI and DePIN technologies. By being a natural gateway entrance for AI training, Roam will enable seamless interaction between hardware devices and advanced AI systems.
Roam starts a new era in traditional telecommunications by providing a decentralized hardware deployment and free-to-use business model. Its community-driven approach and user-centric incentives have driven rapid growth, positioning it for mass adoption. As Roam continues to expand and integrate new technologies, it is poised to revolutionize the telecom industry, empowering users to actively help build and optimize the network. This marks the beginning of a secure, sustainable Web3 future.
