Tristan Thompson Backs Community-Owned Mobile Network ‘Uplift’ with World Mobile
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NBA veteran Tristan Thompson is stepping into telecom with Uplift, a community-owned mobile service he’s launching in partnership with World Mobile. Thompson, who serves as the company’s chief digital equity officer, unveiled the initiative at the recent TechCrunch Disrupt Summit.
Positioned as an alternative to traditional carriers, Uplift offers unlimited data plans starting at $9.99 per month and lets users participate directly in building the network. Community members can become AirNode operators—hosting small, local nodes that provide coverage and earn a share of network revenue. Each new subscription is designed to fund neighborhood-level expansion.
“Uplift is about taking power back from Big Wireless and putting it in the hands of the people,” Thompson said in a statement. “Every plan purchased strengthens the community it comes from. That is what equitable connectivity really means.”
World Mobile Group CEO Micky Watkins called the timing critical. “Telecom has reached a breaking point. For decades, connectivity has enriched corporations while leaving billions disconnected. Uplift… proves there is a better way—one where access, ownership, and rewards are shared.”
Uplift’s first market will be Cleveland, where Thompson began his NBA career after being selected No. 4 overall in the 2011 draft by the Cavaliers. Local entrepreneurs and small businesses will host the initial wave of community-operated nodes, with additional U.S. cities slated to join in 2026 as the program scales.
The network will run on blockchain technology and a Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network (DePIN) model to track participation and rewards.
Beyond the court, Thompson has built a small tech portfolio: co-founder of Basketball.fun (an on-chain platform that tokenizes player value), chief advisory officer at AxonDAO (AI-driven medical research inspired by his brother’s epilepsy journey), and chief content officer at TracyAI, a sports analytics venture.
