Tristan Thompson, World Mobile Introduce New Mobile Service, Uplift

By bigced 7 months ago

Tristan Thompson has partnered with World Mobile to launch Uplift, a mobile service that allows users to own part of their network

Tristan Thompson, who played for the Cleveland Cavaliers last season, has partnered with World Mobile to introduce Uplift, a community-owned mobile service that enables users to own a stake in their network. With the announcement, he also joins the company as its Chief Digital Equity Officer.

Thompson informed the crowd at the TechCrunch Disrupt Summit, held in San Francisco from October 27 to 29.

Yesterday at #TCDisrupt, World Mobile’s Chief Digital Equity Officer and NBA Champion @TThompson introduced Uplift, a new community-owned mobile service powered by the World Mobile network.

Uplift delivers unlimited data from $9.99 per month and gives disadvantaged communities… pic.twitter.com/N9Sctexe7l

— World Mobile (@WorldMobileTeam) October 30, 2025

“Uplift is about taking power back from Big Wireless and putting it in the hands of the people,” said Thompson in a written statement. “Every plan purchased strengthens the community it comes from. That is what equitable connectivity really means.”

The company, which offers unlimited data plans starting at $9.99 per month, also allows users to become AirNode operators. As operators, they earn a portion of the revenue made within the network by providing community coverage. Every subscription contributes to neighborhood-level network expansion.

Uplift will launch initially in Cleveland, where Thompson played his first NBA game and was selected as the No. 4 overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. Local entrepreneurs and small businesses will host the initial wave of community-operated nodes. Other cities will be included in 2026 as the program grows.

“Telecom has reached a breaking point,” said Micky Watkins, CEO of World Mobile Group. “For decades, connectivity has enriched corporations while leaving billions disconnected. Uplift, a Tristan initiative, proves there is a better way—one where access, ownership, and rewards are shared.”

The network is built on blockchain technology and a Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network (DePIN).

Thompson has taken steps to have a successful career as a tech businessman by becoming a co-founder of Basketball.fun (an on-chain experience that tokenizes player value in real time), Chief Advisory Officer at AxonDAO (an AI-powered medical research platform inspired by his brother’s journey with epilepsy), and Chief Content Officer at TracyAI (the first sports analytics platform of its kind).