The Web3 Revolution of Communication Networks: From Information Transmission to Value Exchange

In the wave of digitalization, the traditional model of the telecommunications industry faces severe challenges. The pressure of massive investment brought by 5G technology is significant, while there has been no improvement in revenue models, and breakthroughs in value-added services are weak, leading to a struggle for existing market share. Data shows that while the revenue of leading telecommunications companies in the United States exceeds that of internet giants by 50%, their profitability is only 30% of the latter, with a profit margin of just 20% and a market value that is only 30%. This reflects insufficient confidence among investors in the heavy asset model and low growth prospects of the telecommunications industry.

The telecommunications industry is striving for transformation. Past attempts to engage in virtual operator business have failed to address fundamental issues. Exploring overseas has also been fraught with difficulties due to the sensitivity of various countries to the telecommunications sector. Factors such as market entry restrictions, differences in spectrum allocation, data localization requirements, local monopoly patterns, and price wars have hindered the international expansion of traditional operators.

However, Web3 technology provides new ideas for the reconstruction of the telecommunications industry. This is not just a simple "blockchain +" approach, but rather upgrading communication networks to a fundamental value exchange layer through globalization, token economies, distributed governance, and open protocols. Projects like Roam have validated the feasibility of users sharing Wi-Fi hotspots for token incentives, establishing a decentralized communication network covering millions of nodes. Innovations such as the DAO management of spectrum resources, decentralized identity solutions, and blockchain data markets are changing the industry landscape.

Cross-border services and settlement automation have become breakthroughs. Blockchain has restructured international roaming settlement, significantly shortening the settlement cycle and reducing costs. The DeFi model introduces a tariff system, allowing users to obtain communication discounts through staking. In the field of the Internet of Things, the combination of blockchain and edge computing has given rise to autonomous device networks, achieving low-latency communication and enhancing supply chain credibility.

Roam, as a representative of Web3 decentralized telecommunications operators, is committed to building a global open wireless network. Through the OpenRoaming™ Wi-Fi framework and eSIM services, Roam has over 1.7 million nodes and 2.3 million users in 190 countries, conducting 500,000 network verifications daily. This decentralized deployment solution provides an innovative path for the upgrade of the OpenRoaming™ Wi-Fi industry, bridging the gap between Web2 and Web3 ecosystems.

The essence of blockchain-based telecommunications reconstruction is to upgrade the communication network into a value exchange network, achieving the integrated transmission of "information + value + trust". Historically, every breakthrough in communication technology has propelled a leap in payment forms. From telegraphs to blockchain, communication technology continuously enhances the efficiency of information transmission, expands connection boundaries, reconstructs trust mechanisms, and drives innovation in financial payments.

The future of the telecommunications industry may form a hybrid model of "centralized infrastructure + decentralized services." Basic communication operators will continue to manage physical infrastructure but will open network capabilities through APIs. Service operators like Roam will reconstruct themselves as the central hub of global value routing based on communication networks and blockchain technology. Users will also need to shift from passive consumers to eco-construction participants, promoting the development of the Web3 communication ecosystem.

The Web3 revolution in communication networks not only reshapes the telecommunications business model but also paves the way for building the foundation of the future digital society. Decentralized telecom operators like Roam could become the digital infrastructure of the Network State utopia, ushering in a new era of integration between communication and value exchange.