Telecommunications is a tough industry for innovation. Adopting new technologies takes time, and even with substantial funding and initial momentum, some well-known DePIN projects have had to reassess and redirect their efforts toward more immediately viable solutions. These shifts underscore a hard truth: the telecom sector remains resistant to rapid change despite blockchain and decentralisation holding immense potential for building a powerful underlying infrastructure for agile networks.
Helium, for instance, initially pursued decentralised networks using the 3.5GHz CBRS spectrum band for 5G deployment. However, challenges such as poor user experience and implementation difficulties led them to shift their focus to Wi-Fi, utilising Passpoint technology. Mario Di Dio, General Manager of Nova Labs’ Helium network, noted that Wi-Fi is “easier to implement,” highlighting the maturity and ease of deployment compared to CBRS-based solutions.
Similarly, XNET began with ambitions in the CBRS spectrum for decentralised 5G networks but encountered obstacles that prompted a strategic pivot. The company now emphasises Wi-Fi connections, citing the technology’s established infrastructure and greater ease of deployment as primary reasons for the shift. You can read more about it here.
These examples illustrate the significant challenges and extended timelines associated with introducing innovative technologies in the telecommunications sector.
At Weaver Labs, we embarked on a journey to create an open marketplace of telecom infrastructure assets with Cell-Stack and the Adeno Token. Our vision, explained in our Adeno whitepaper, is to make telecommunications infrastructure more accessible, shareable, and monetisable through blockchain technology. However, we also recognise that as a startup, we cannot build on wishful thinking. We must be pragmatic and adapt to the current state of the market.
The reality is that telcos are not changing their deployment models relying on shared infrastructure as quickly as we had anticipated. Open 5G networks based on OpenRAN and software-driven architectures are taking much longer to mature, and private 5G networks are just starting to be commercialised at a reasonable scale. Given this, our roadmap for 2025 reflects a renewed focus on practical steps that align with what is feasible today while keeping our long-term vision intact.
The use of tokens in DePIN has varied widely, with some projects launching tokens before proving real-world adoption. Many have struggled to integrate meaningfully with traditional industries, particularly telecommunications. While other Telecoms DePIN projects have experimented with decentralised models for network expansion, their primary challenge has been finding product-market fit within an industry that operates on strict regulatory and operational frameworks.
Most DePIN projects use tokens primarily as incentives for node operators, who deploy physical infrastructure such as hotspots or small-scale cell towers in exchange for token rewards. However, without sustained demand for network services, these incentives have often led to speculation rather than utility-driven token use. Many of these projects have seen initial enthusiasm but struggled to transition to stable, revenue-generating models beyond trading speculation.
How is Adeno different?
By focusing on real-world adoption before token speculation, our approach has been to ensure long-term sustainability and alignment with the telecommunications industry, the supply chain and its participants, setting Weaver Labs and Adeno apart from most DePIN initiatives.
Since the beginning, we have been transparent with our community about our vision and how we see the Adeno token playing a role in the future of telecom infrastructure sharing. Unlike other projects that have had a different approach to launching tokens, we intended to list Adeno when the network had meaningful adoption.
However, the telecommunications industry has proven slower than we expected in embracing infrastructure sharing. The shift toward open networks, Open RAN, and NaaS (Network-as-a-Service) models is happening, but at a pace dictated by large telco operators, regulatory challenges, and enterprise adoption cycles. This delay has impacted our ability to integrate Adeno fully into our live deployments.
Despite this, we strongly believe that our approach is the most sustainable long-term, precisely because it aligns with global telecom industry trends rather than trying to bypass them. Unlike other DePIN projects that have struggled to find product-market fit with traditional telcos, our model is built to integrate within existing telecom ecosystems, making it the best-positioned solution for future infrastructure sharing.
Since we launched our first pre-sale in 2022, we have worked tirelessly to grow our community and spread the word about the adoption of blockchain in telecommunications. Our work has been centred on the following key areas:
Cell-Stack has grown from a distributed infrastructure management tool to a multi-cloud network automation and management tool, supporting the creation and management of any cloud environment. We have conducted over 10 large-scale customer trials across the globe, supporting private networks, neutral hosts, smart cities, and logistics tracking. These trials have demonstrated:
We haven’t done this alone. We have established more than 40 telco-related partnerships that see value in Weaver Labs and the potential of Telco Cloud.
Since our first pre-sale, we’ve gained undeniable traction:
We’re extremely proud of this progress and particularly proud of doing it as we bridge the Web3 world into Telecommunications, and position ourselves as a viable alternative to traditional operating models in Telecoms.
1. Listing Adeno on CEXs
Our objective is to list as soon as possible in 2025 and show traction with our most immediate use cases. We have already begun discussions with centralised exchanges to list Adeno, ensuring greater accessibility for Token Holders and the community. We expect the process for listing will be smooth and we will keep you updated on how we progress.
2. Focusing on Private Telecommunications Networks and NaaS
As a business, we must prioritise revenue generation and scaling. This means our focus will be on offering Cell-Stack as a Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) platform for private telecommunications networks, enabling businesses to manage connectivity more efficiently. This aligns with the growing enterprise demand for flexible, software-defined networking solutions that provide scalability and cost-effectiveness.
3. Testing New Use Cases in Private Telecommunications Networks
While full blockchain integration into telecom infrastructure remains a long-term goal, we will continue investing in R&D to explore seamless blockchain adoption in NaaS. This means focusing on use cases that can be tested and validated in private telecommunications network settings before scaling to larger deployments.
4. Scaling with Market Demand
We will introduce blockchain-based monetisation models gradually as the market shows readiness to adopt them. The integration of blockchain into network resource management will continue in stages, ensuring practical adoption without disrupting existing systems.
Token holders will still have a key role in the ecosystem, and we don’t envision these roles to change at all. Even in a private telecommunications network setting, where infrastructure can be offered to different services and applications the main CellNet roles and operations will remain:
1. Decentralised Data Transmission with Streamr
In collaboration with Streamr, we are integrating decentralised data streaming with our NaaS platform. Our first deployment will take place at Stadium MK, supporting live matches with four real-time video streams. The next steps include developing a light client for resource consumption tracking and enabling a pay-as-you-go model for network resources at the edge.
2. AI-Powered Network Optimisation
We are introducing applications that interact directly with network infrastructure, pulling real-time data from user applications. AI will be deployed at the edge to automate network resource allocation based on actual usage and demand. Adeno will be central to supporting these real-time transactions within private telecommunications networks.
3. Infrastructure Sharing in Africa with Liquid
Our partnership with Liquid in Kenya aims to create a telecom resource pool for enhanced infrastructure sharing. Trials will commence in 2025, testing CellNet as a Layer 2 protocol where asset owners are rewarded in Adeno for their contributions. This initiative will improve connectivity in last-mile regions, reinforcing the potential of blockchain in telecom infrastructure.
Yes, this is a shift from our original roadmap, but it is a necessary one. We need to be honest about what the telecommunications industry is ready for today while keeping our long-term vision alive. The truth is that no DePIN telecoms project has yet demonstrated clear value in 5G. Our mission remains unchanged: to drive decentralisation and agility in telecom infrastructure. However, we must build on what works today rather than waiting for the industry to catch up.
Also, I wanted to underline that we’re not VC-backed and we only survive with product-market fit and customer revenues, so adapting to reality while technology matures is not something we can question, but rather accept and move on.
We are deeply grateful to our community for their continued support. Together, we will navigate these industry challenges while staying committed to building the future of telecoms, step by step.
Q1 2025
Q2 2025
Q3 2025
Q4 2025
Thank you for being part of this journey with us. We remain committed to building the future of decentralized telecoms, and we are excited about what’s ahead in 2025!
Last week, Weaver Labs hosted Stadiums of the Future 3.0, a 45-minute deep dive into what it takes to bring modern, smart venues to life. Led by Peter Marshall (Business Development, Weaver Labs), our panel brought together experts spanning AI, telecoms infrastructure, live media, and cloud orchestration: If you missed the live session, here are […]
Sports venues often struggle with advanced digital applications because rigid, legacy network hardware cannot handle peak fan demand. To solve this, stadiums must adopt an open, software-defined network infrastructure that seamlessly integrates fragmented data silos. By transforming connectivity into agile digital real estate, venues can unlock greater operational efficiency, data sovereignty, and significant new revenue […]
The live entertainment industry has reached a point where the physical experience on the field or stage is only half the story. The other half happens in another reality that is becoming embedded in everything we do –the screens in the palm of every spectator’s hand. Fans expect to interact with the event –whether that […]
This article marks the conclusion of our series on the digital evolution of modern venues where we shift from identifying the problem to executing the solution. If our previous articles established that technology is no longer a utility but a strategic asset, and that infrastructure is the engine of ROI, this final piece outlines the […]
In the second part of our three-part series, we move beyond connectivity as an asset to explore the ‘Translation Gap’; the critical divide between collecting stadium data and converting it into commercial fuel. In our previous discussion, we addressed the “Shiny Object” trap; the tendency to prioritise high-tier applications over the foundational infrastructure required to […]
This is the first in a three-part series exploring why connectivity has evolved from a back-office utility into a stadium’s most powerful commercial engine. In the modern sports and entertainment landscape, the pursuit of innovation is relentless. Stadium operators are under immense pressure to deliver the “stadium of the future,” leading to significant investments in […]
