Roam is building a hardware L1 to serve as the "data layer" for the DePIN project

Author: Weizhi; Source: BlockBeats

Recently, I saw that "Pokemon Go" began to enter the NFT market. I didn't expect that this super IP is also trying to combine with blockchain technology.

Combining online and offline gameplay is certainly interesting, but this game always has an unavoidable problem, that is, users can use plug-in tools to cheat location data to capture rare elves from all over the world. Although it is not known what specific NFT gameplay Pokemon will launch this time, if it still uses the previous mechanism, it may be another "scientist" involution game.

But this problem is not unsolvable. What if there is a mechanism that can locate and verify? Readers familiar with the DePIN track should know that Roam's solution can solve this GPS cheating problem.

As the only Web3 IDP project of the Global Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA), Roam is committed to building a unified global decentralized WiFi roaming network. After in-depth research, the author found that Roam is different from other DePIN projects with more vertical application scenarios. It is more like an ecosystem. The basis of this system is a network of physical devices connecting real users. Project parties can build various decentralized applications based on Roam data scenarios on its basic platform. At the same time, Roam can also carry out data storage, CDN and other services with other cooperative project parties. In this way, if you expand your imagination, solving problems such as GPS cheating is just the tip of the iceberg of Roam's landing scenarios.

Roam: "Dock" to enter the global WiFi network

Before discussing the overall ecology of Roam, let's briefly introduce the Roam protocol.

Roam's original vision was to build a unified decentralized WiFi Open Roaming network. Currently, the Roam network has more than 700,000 self-built WiFi nodes in more than 190 countries and regions. Roam app users can achieve seamless WiFi roaming between 3.5 million OpenRoaming nodes and these 700,000 self-built nodes around the world, without repeated registration and login, and can achieve smooth and uninterrupted Internet access. This huge potential market also allowed Roam to obtain investments from Volt Capital, Anagram and SamsungNext.

From the user's perspective, the most direct and convenient experience is that the phone can automatically connect to WiFi, and behind this seamless roaming is the role played by OpenRoaming security certificates and DID+VC technology in user privacy and data verification.

The operating mechanism of the Roam protocol can be roughly understood as follows: When a user downloads and opens the Roam application for the first time, the system will automatically generate a DID (digital identity) for the user and configure the Open Roaming security protocol. On this basis, the user's VC (verifiable credential data) is stored on the blockchain by Raom. In the future, when the user approaches the Roam router, the user's device will automatically send the corresponding VP, and the system will recognize and allow the user to connect to the network.

Through DID+VC technology, when a user connects to Roam's open roaming network, the identity authentication process will be carried out on the decentralized chain, thereby ensuring the user's data privacy and security. Combined with the scale advantage of more than four million WiFi nodes worldwide, Roam stands out in the field of decentralized WiFi. Now, in the DePIN track, Roam has a more advanced and multi-dimensional layout.

Roam APP, Roam Rainier MAX60, Roam eSIM

The Roam application was launched in June 2023. Users only need to download the application, the system will automatically help users create DIDs, and configure and install OpenRoaming credentials. Then users can start seamless roaming to any OpenRoaming network in the world and Roam's own WiFi network. Users can participate in the construction of the Roam network in different ways and receive corresponding rewards (Roam Points), which can be burned into $ROAM tokens after TGE. Currently, there are more than 750,000 registered users of the Roma application.

In addition to software products, Roam has also launched its second-generation hardware product, Roam Rainier MAX60, a hardware device that combines high-speed WiFi performance with blockchain mining capabilities. It provides up to 6000Mbps network speeds, supports more than 200 device connections, and has mining capabilities. Users can earn Roam points every day by keeping their devices running, and accumulate more points by sharing WiFi connections with users. These points can be exchanged for $ROAM tokens in a dedicated burning pool in the future.

And to further meet the travel needs of users, Roam has also launched Roam eSIM, allowing users to achieve seamless, secure and flexible international data roaming without the need for a physical SIM card.

After understanding this, you may think that Roam only focuses on the scenario of users using WiFi. In fact, Roam regards the construction of a decentralized data roaming network as the basis for future development. What Roam really wants to do is to become a "decentralized telecommunications data layer."

To be the "decentralized telecommunications data layer" of the DePIN project

If the previous DePIN project, users and the public chain L1 where they are located are regarded as the relationship between transportation vehicles, passengers and roads, then the "decentralized telecommunications data layer" that Roam wants to do is the telecommunications data network and power grid facilities that serve this transportation ecosystem. "Physical layer L1" can be used to more concretely understand what Roam wants to do - that is, to lay out the most basic data layer of a multi-functional network through hardware.

Roam’s ability to position itself as a “data layer” comes first from its scale advantage in the DePIN market. On DePINscan, the number of Roam’s nodes has exceeded 600,000, ranking third among DePIN projects, surpassing former star projects such as Helium, Hivemapper and DIMO.

DePIN project node quantity ranking, and Roam's node coverage, source DePINscan

The huge number of users and node resources are only the first step for Roam to approach the data layer. Through seamless connection, decentralized security mechanism, economic incentives and global coverage advantages, Roam redefines the relationship between hardware, users and data. To understand Roam's new positioning, we need to combine Roam's development potential of providing telecommunications data resources and physical equipment for other DePIN projects. Just as Layer1 is the basic layer of blockchain applications, Roam's function is similar to a hardware "physical layer L1".

Basic functions: seamless and secure network connection

In Layer1, the flow of assets depends on the network's infrastructure. L1 provides core transaction processing capabilities to ensure the stable circulation and secure processing of assets in the network, just like the foundation of the blockchain to ensure the stability and reliability of all transactions and smart contracts.

Roam plays a similar role in the field of telecommunications data. In terms of function, through a decentralized network architecture, just as L1 provides basic guarantees for the flow of assets on the blockchain, Roam also provides users with stable WiFi connections around the world, ensuring that users' WiFi connections between different locations can be as stable and reliable as the on-chain asset flow experience.

In terms of implementation mechanism, L1 reduces transaction confirmation time through efficient consensus mechanism and infrastructure to realize the convenient flow of assets around the world. When users connect to Roam's WiFi network, they only need to set it up once for the first time. After that, all WiFi node connections supported by the Roam network can be automatically completed in the background without entering the password again or making additional settings.

Decentralization: Use nodes to make a "global Internet of Things"

In the massive telecommunications data access nodes owned by Roam, each node provides network services to users and generates identity, location and time data. The ledgers of these data will be synchronized to Solana in real time. In the future, Roam will also carry out service cooperation for ecological projects on other public chains such as Arbitrum and IoTeX through data cross-chain bridges around these key data.

Such a mechanism is an innovation of the traditional Internet of Things. General WiFi networks rely on centralized servers and databases to process user identity information and connection requests. Users usually need to enter personal information or log in to their accounts when connecting to WiFi. These data are stored in the centralized system of the service provider. Once the system is hacked, the user's information may be leaked or abused.

In contrast, Roam has greatly improved user privacy protection by introducing decentralized identity (DID) and verifiable credential (VC) technology. When users connect to Roam's WiFi hotspot, the authentication process relies on encryption technology on the blockchain to ensure that their identity information is verified only with user authorization.

In addition to the privacy protection advantage, the decentralized telecommunications data layer created by Roam breaks the centralized model limitations of the traditional Internet of Things in the data transmission, storage and maintenance process. Data circulation transcends the limitations of different hardware devices and truly realizes "global interconnection".

Mining mechanism: user participation, community empowerment

Community is the key to user growth for all decentralized projects. Usually, Layer 1 projects use community miner nodes to ensure the security and efficient operation of the network, while Roam introduces the behavior of users punching in WiFi to verify whether the network service is normal. At the same time, miner users can also deploy their WiFi OpenRoaming nodes to jointly build a decentralized WiFi roaming network. In return, users of different roles receive point token rewards while receiving free services. The design of this incentive mechanism is similar to the operation of nodes in the "validator" or "proof of stake" (PoS) system in L1. It focuses on the verification of user identity and the operation of network nodes to ensure the decentralization and security of the Roam network.

In this way, the significance of Roam is not only a globally shared telecommunications data resource library, but also an ecosystem with community stickiness that connects developers and users around telecommunications data.

Will Roam become a "public good" in the DePIN field?

So just like computers came before the Internet, blockchain wants to change the Internet level, and Roam wants to change the computer hardware level.

The Roam ecosystem will consist of four strategic modules: Roam Network, Roam Growth, Roam Discovery and Roam Community. Roam Network will focus on developing and maintaining core infrastructure, such as the Roam applications and network nodes that can be seen now. The two modules of Roam Growth and Roam Discovery are designed to attract enterprises and individual developers to join the platform and encourage them to create applications that are beneficial to both companies and Roam builders, while Roam Community will serve as a platform for users to communicate, discuss, share information and use feedback.

Based on this strategic system, Roam guides users to transform their participation roles from traditional airdrop interactors to dedicated community builders. This is also a direction that the current DePIN project has not paid attention to. The existing DePIN protocol is mainly aimed at a certain vertical field. Roam's goal is to break down data barriers, connect users on the device side, and on this basis provide individual developers and entrepreneurs with a decentralized telecommunications data layer.

To put it more bluntly, Roam can provide users with "new mines".

Filecoin, a well-known project for decentralized storage, sells an IPFS mining machine for a price far exceeding its own value, but why can only Filecoin do decentralized storage? Roam can do the same. If a third party wants to use Roam's own data to build a decentralized storage network, it will be very convenient. After all, the number of devices and services of Roam are fully satisfied.

Orchid Protocol OXT, the leader of decentralized networks, is also a business that Roam can serve. It is not difficult to imagine using Roam's device location and data to build a decentralized network service.

Roam has chosen a free and open approach, so that more users can easily get started and gradually build a more sticky user ecosystem. Compared with directly passing the operating costs to users who use WiFi, Roam charges commercial fees by providing services to third-party service providers. The income of many DePIN projects depends on the miner community, and a business model like Roam is expected to create a continuous source of income for the platform and explore a more sustainable development path.

The growing user community can bring a strong network effect to Roam, which in turn will promote the participation of more ecological projects, thereby enhancing the value and attractiveness of the platform. When Roam's user community accumulates to a certain scale, Roam will have the potential to provide a platform for DePIN projects in other vertical fields.

In this context, Roam is expected to develop into a "public good" in the DePIN field. Although its profit model relies on the charging of third-party commercial services, its open, shared, and user-first characteristics give it the characteristics of a public good. Just like the infrastructure of the Internet, Roam connects users and devices through decentralized technology. In the future, it may play a role similar to public goods in the DePIN ecosystem, serving a wider user group and becoming a key force in promoting the development of the entire decentralized network.