In the post-pandemic era, more and more remote workers are choosing to become digital nomads. Free from the constraints of office work, digital nomads can choose to stay on Aruba Island in the Caribbean for 90 days, then live in Cape Verde on the west coast of Africa for a year. This 'nomadic lifestyle' is becoming a trend in emerging fields, and it has already become the norm in the Web3 domain.
For digital nomads, regardless of where they roam, finding an ideal work environment and ensuring smooth network connectivity is the highest priority, and the open global wireless network provided by Roam will undoubtedly become the best choice for digital nomads.
Roam network node located in Cape Verde.
The global OpenRoaming™ network penetration rate is less than 1%.
WiFi networks in public places such as hotels or cafes are often not very convenient for the majority of users, especially when arriving in an unfamiliar place. Most public WiFi networks require cumbersome connection steps, including repeated logins, reconnections, password sharing, and redundant registrations. At the same time, public WiFi networks also face issues of low security and privacy leaks, making them quite unappealing.
To create a seamless, secure, and hassle-free Wi-Fi network, in 2020, the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) promoted a technical standard called OpenRoaming™, designed to provide users with seamless connectivity when roaming across different WiFi networks. Unlike traditional public WiFi, OpenRoaming™ eliminates the hassle of logging in or authenticating each time a user connects to a new Wi-Fi network. Once a user is authenticated on any OpenRoaming™ supported network, their device can automatically connect to other networks that participate in OpenRoaming™ authentication, achieving true seamless roaming. Additionally, the Passpoint technology used in OpenRoaming™ ensures that all data transmissions are encrypted, providing a security level comparable to cellular data networks. This innovation not only enhances connection convenience and security but also minimizes the risks of data breaches and unauthorized access.
In the face of the huge appeal of secure and seamless WiFi networks, in 2020, the OpenRoaming™ technical solution received a positive response from a number of tech giants, including Cisco, Google, AT&T, Boingo, and Samsung, who promoted the OpenRoaming™ technology in various ways. Currently, there are over 4 million OpenRoaming™ network nodes globally, but compared to the 700 million public WiFi nodes worldwide, OpenRoaming™ accounts for a very small proportion, only 0.6%, far from achieving its scale efficiency.
Roam: Driving the Web3 transformation of traditional WiFi networks.
As the only Web3 IDP project among the 15 companies in the OpenRoaming™ alliance, Roam integrates traditional OpenRoaming™ technology with Web3 technologies like DID+VC, promoting the access of a vast internet user base and small and medium-sized enterprises to the OpenRoaming™ network transformation. For the OpenRoaming™ network transformation of small and medium enterprises, Roam has innovatively developed an OpenRoaming™ upgrade plan based on the W3C decentralized digital identity standard and effectively solved the technical and cost barriers in implementation through decentralized deployment.
For the large traditional user base, Roam offers diverse participation methods to encourage users to partake in network co-construction. Users can share WiFi nodes through the Roam App or upgrade their WiFi to the more secure and convenient OpenRoaming™ WiFi. Currently, Roam supports over 4 million OpenRoaming™ available WiFi hotspots in more than 190 countries and regions globally, with over 870,000 self-built WiFi nodes and nearly 1.5 million registered users, and this data is still growing rapidly. The community-driven approach and sound incentive mechanisms have greatly expanded Roam's network coverage and enhanced user experience.
In addition to installing the Roam App to share WiFi nodes through mobile devices, users can also support the construction of OpenRoaming™ networks by purchasing Roam routers. In January 2024, Roam will launch the latest AC router Rainier MAX60 and AP device Baker MAX30, both of which feature excellent performance and security. The Roam Rainier MAX60 router integrates Wi-Fi 6 high-speed transmission technology, offering network speeds of up to 9.6 Gbps, capable of connecting to over 200 devices simultaneously for seamless sharing in multi-user environments, featuring advanced low-power design and 2TB of expandable storage, and pioneering support for dApp applications, running decentralized applications like CDN, cloud storage, VPN, and AI. Users can easily share router nodes on the Roam network, enhancing coverage and reception range, providing and enjoying a smooth and efficient network connection experience.
eSIM: Laying the final piece of the puzzle for Roam's global WiFi network.
Roam eSIM was launched in October this year, and data shows that within less than a month of its launch, the number of users grew from 750,000 to over a million, and it continues to grow rapidly.
As of December 4, 2024, the number of users on the Roam network has reached 1.53 million.
Roam eSIM is divided into two types: Global eSIM and Roam add-on eSIM. The Global eSIM allows users to recharge their accounts freely and choose the amount to top up their wallets. The subscription fees are then deducted based on the selected country's data rate standards and the actual data usage incurred by the user. The Roam add-on eSIM is mainly targeted at countries without network roaming services, where users can choose from data packages, currently supporting 10 countries.
Additionally, for Global eSIM users, they can also check in via the Roam App or participate in Roam community activities to earn globally usable data rewards. Currently, Global eSIM covers over 160 countries worldwide, which is highly appealing for digital nomads traveling between different countries.
Diverse incentive models create value for users.
Currently in the Roam ecosystem, there are three types of assets: Roam Points, governance token $ROAM, and MetaBlox NFT, all of which drive ecological development in different ways.
Roam Points are ecological tokens in the current Roam token system. Users can earn corresponding points tokens by sharing WiFi nodes, checking in daily, inviting friends, and participating in community activities. For users purchasing the Rainier MAX60, they can receive 3,000 Roam Points upon first activation. Moreover, under normal operating conditions, the router yields 60 Roam Points daily. Daily check-ins at this point can additionally grant 5 Roam Points to the miner owner, with a daily reward cap of 150 Roam Points, meaning users can earn a maximum of 210 Roam Points daily.
Roam Points can be used to acquire $ROAM tokens through burning after TGE, which will significantly reduce users' construction costs and network operation costs, and may even lead to profits. When Roam Points are used for specific purposes or under specific circumstances, the corresponding Roam Points will be destroyed. This helps control the supply and enhances the token's scarcity.
$ROAM is the governance token of the ecosystem, and holders can obtain ecological tokens through various means, such as staking, airdrops, or participating in important community node activities. Its main uses include participating in community governance, voting, and various community OG rights.
MetaBlox NFT is directly issued by the MetaBlox Labs Foundation and can be linked to specific mining devices. Holders can earn $ROAM token rewards by staking the NFT. Furthermore, the NFT grants holders special community status.
Unicom Web2 and Web3, achieving large-scale implementation.
In contrast to the top-down promotion of OpenRoaming™ networks by Cisco, Google, and traditional telecom giants like AT&T, Roam has been reforming the traditional telecom industry from the ground up in a decentralized manner from the very beginning. As the Web3 extension and aggregation layer of OpenRoaming™, Roam builds a Physical L1 for the DePIN ecosystem, creating value for users through a free-use business model and diverse incentive models, quickly attracting a large number of users. It will also build a network infrastructure of global users, devices, and data as the Telecom Data Layer is implemented. With the growth of user numbers, Roam can not only deeply empower Web3 projects within its ecosystem (such as SocialFi and GameFi) but also gain extra revenue from its continuously expanding network nodes and user base, thereby continuing to support the community as a driving force for its project flywheel. Additionally, since WiFi, as an entry point for massive user traffic, naturally adapts to the training of large AI models, Roam will achieve seamless interaction between hardware devices and advanced AI systems, facilitating data connectivity and sharing between people, devices, assets, and AI.
In the past year, despite unstable market conditions and a lack of significant marketing investment, Roam still achieved remarkable growth in user numbers and node deployment, solidifying its leading position in the DePIN project. According to data from DePINscan.io in November, Roam ranks second in the DePIN project; the WBA also has high hopes for Roam, expecting it to take on the task of growing the overall OpenRoaming™ network nodes by 20% in the coming years. Given Roam's current 'barbaric growth' speed, this goal is believed to be achievable soon, especially in places like Cape Verde on the west coast of Africa, the cold Siberian Plateau, and even the sparsely populated northern Canada, where Roam users have already gained a competitive advantage.