Karrier One

Karrier One is engineering a decentralized wireless (DeWi) telecommunications network by integrating blockchain technology with established telecom infrastructure. The company was co-founded by CEO Samer Bishay, an experienced telecom executive who is also the President and CEO of Iristel & Ice Wireless. His background includes serving as a lead systems engineer for the Radarsat program at the Canadian Space Agency. The founding team also includes COO Andrew El'Lithy, CTO Andrew Buchanan, CSO Nahid Masad, and others with backgrounds in computer engineering, crypto marketing, and wireless network deployment.

The firm's core objective is to address connectivity challenges in underserved and remote areas, as well as improve network densification in populated centers like underground garages and shopping malls. Karrier One's business model relies on a Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network (DePIN), which empowers individuals, businesses, and communities to become network participants by owning and operating radio equipment and nodes. This grassroots approach distributes the cost of infrastructure and aims to organically expand the network's reach. Initial deployments have focused on Canada, including indigenous communities, with plans to expand into the U.S., Kenya, and other regions. The company secured early-stage VC funding of $1.46 million in February 2023 and later received a strategic investment from the Sui Foundation in January 2024 to advance its DePIN technology.

Revenue is generated from network usage and shared among participants. The model allocates 50% of revenue to 'Gatekeepers' (node operators), 20% to spectrum donors, and 30% to Karrier One. A key product is the Karrier Number System (KNS), which transforms a traditional phone number into a decentralized digital identity on the blockchain. This system provides users with a universal number for calls, messages, and Web3 transactions, such as sending and receiving crypto without needing complex wallet addresses. The KNS is designed to enhance security by protecting against SIM swap fraud and serves as a digital passport for KYC verification. By partnering with the Sui blockchain, Karrier One leverages its high transaction speeds and features like zkLogin to offer these services, including providing phone numbers as NFTs.

Keywords: decentralized wireless, DeWi, DePIN, blockchain telecom, self-sovereign identity, KNS, Web3 connectivity, mobile network operator, community-owned network, 5G network, rural connectivity, network densification, crypto payments, Sui blockchain, node operators, telecom infrastructure, digital identity, Gatekeepers, revenue sharing, SIM swap protection