Meet the Builders: AirNode Alliance

When we spoke with Depinity, we saw how builders from within our community are shaping the future of World Mobile Chain.

Now, in part two, we’re turning to the AirNode Alliance, a project dedicated to making telecom ownership accessible to anyone. We spoke with their founder, Cole Bartlett, to learn how they’re building a cross-chain dApp that fractionalizes AirNodes, giving people the chance to co-own infrastructure that was once locked inside the walls of traditional telecom.

What made you choose to build with World Mobile?

I chose to build with World Mobile because it aligns perfectly with our mission of democratizing access to telecom and digital infrastructure. The AirNode Alliance is about lowering the barrier of entry for individuals and communities to participate in and own a piece of connectivity infrastructure.

I have been part of the World Mobile community for a while now. Earlier this year, I registered a business in Wyoming, ELOC Mobile, which builds the technology for the AirNode Alliance and helps maintain the project. I recently became a Network Founder and now use a World Mobile phone plan. I’ve also contributed to AirNode drops and own several deployed in Pakistan.

My journey with World Mobile started back in 2022. At the time I was co-authoring a book with colleagues at Sustainable ADA called Recalibrating Value, Identity & Impact Through the Blockchain. We highlighted more than 65 projects from the Cardano ecosystem, including World Mobile and the work being done in Tanzania’s first smart village. That was when I got hooked.

From there, I dove deeper into the community and eventually saw the opportunity to build the AirNode Alliance, to support the growth of the ecosystem and create a cross-chain dApp that enables fractionalized AirNode ownership on both World Mobile Chain and Cardano.

ELOC Mobile is collaborating with Konma Labz to build the functionality and smart contracts for the Alliance. Their experience has been crucial in growing the project to where it is today.

What problem are you solving with your project?

The AirNode Alliance solves two problems.

First, ownership and accessibility. Traditional telecom infrastructure is prohibitively expensive and centralized, which makes it nearly impossible for individuals or communities to take part. We’re changing that by enabling fractionalized ownership of AirNodes through NFTs, opening the door for anyone to become a stakeholder in connectivity.

Second, economic inclusion. Beyond access, communities are empowered to share in the revenue streams generated by the very infrastructure they help deploy. That creates a cycle of connectivity, rewards, and opportunity that can uplift both local economies and global participants.

Why did you choose a layer 3 like WMC instead of a traditional L1 or L2?

We chose to build on World Mobile Chain because it made sense for what we’re building, but also because of the advantages it offers. Millions of Daily Active Users, incredible speed, and negligible transaction costs. Beyond that, WMC enables us to pull in live data directly from specific AirNodes, powering our dashboards with real-time insights. As a Layer 3 purpose-built for telecom and real-world infrastructure, WMC combines scalability with domain-specific functionality we couldn’t get anywhere else.

How would you describe your experience working with the World Mobile team and community?

I’ve communicated with several members of the team, and they have been consistently helpful and supportive. Collaborative, mission-driven, and inspiring, they’ve opened doors, answered technical questions, and ensured builders like us have the tools to succeed.

I want to especially thank Charles Barnett and Emmanuel Young for their support and thoughtful conversations around growing the Alliance and building on WMC. They’re not just building a network; they’re building a movement, and it’s energizing to be part of it.

I also want to give a shout-out to Kal Rakov from Clover Nodes. From the beginning, he has helped us connect with the right people and advised on what we should integrate into the Alliance. Recently, we welcomed Kal into the AirNode Alliance as Strategic Advisor, and we couldn’t be more excited.  

“I believe AirNode Alliance is tackling one of the biggest barriers in telecom DePIN, making real infrastructure ownership accessible to everyone. By fractionalizing AirNodes, they are lowering the entry point, empowering communities and accelerating adoption of people-powered networks across the globe. This is a movement to connect digital innovation with real-world infrastructure and I’m excited to help shape it.” - Kaloyan Rakov, Strategic Advisor, AirNode Alliance

What stage is your project currently in, and what's next?

We’ve built an MVP for a testnet application on both World Mobile Chain and Cardano. Community members can connect a wallet, fractionalize AirNodes, and start interacting with the Alliance.

We have now launched our public testnet on World Mobile Chain. You can access it at airnodealliance.com. We are rolling this out step by step with the community to build a strong foundation. The testnet gives our community a clear way to:

• Test smart contracts

• Report bugs

• Share their vision for the Alliance

In the coming days, we will also push updates that improve front-end workflows for Cardano.

Next, we will refine the UI and UX, strengthen governance tools, and tune reward mechanisms. From there, we plan to expand into DeFi integrations, secondary NFT markets, and customizable dashboards for participants. We also want to add a path for HD1 hex owners to run their own co-ownership campaigns so local communities can participate where they live.

What kind of impact are you hoping your solution will have?

We want to have a major impact on the World Mobile community by helping transform telecom from a closed industry into a participatory, community-driven ecosystem. Our vision is to allow anyone the ability to own telecommunications infrastructure while creating more pathways for people to get involved with World Mobile.

What would you tell other developers who are considering building on WMC?

If you have a vision and passion for something, go for it.

Nine months ago, I had a vision to create the ability to co-own World Mobile infrastructure, and I decided this was something that had to be done. Just take the leap into the World Mobile community. Don’t overlook the value of building in a domain-specific ecosystem.

WMC provides the scalability, infrastructure, and support you need if you’re serious about solving real-world problems. The community is growing, the technology is robust, and there’s plenty of room to innovate. This is the perfect time to start building.

AirNode Alliance: Builders and Co-Owners

Like Depinity, the AirNode Alliance strengthen the rails of World Mobile Chain, making it easier for others to participate. But they also take that progression a step further, shifting the focus to shared ownership of the infrastructure itself.

Fractionalized AirNodes transform connectivity into something anyone can co-own. What was once locked inside centralized corporations is now accessible to communities and individuals everywhere. This rewrites the rules of telecom – exactly the kind of project that aligns with the World Mobile mission.

Together, these chapters reveal the shape of what’s coming: a network sustained not by a few corporations, but by a growing circle of builders and co-owners who turn vision into reality.

Because the future of connectivity isn’t just built. It’s shared.