The plan is to extend mobile coverage from aircraft flying 12 miles above the Earth, combining aerospace technology linking it to World Mobile’s decentralised telecom model.
“This partnership embodies the potential of blockchain and decentralised economics to reshape global connectivity,” said Watkins (main pic). “By combining token incentives with aerospace innovation, we can bring reliable internet to underserved regions at a scale never seen before.”
World Mobile operates a community-owned network where individuals run “AirNodes” and “EarthNodes” to provide coverage and earn World Mobile Tokens (WMTx). The network uses a mix of land-based equipment, satellite links, and TV white space spectrum.
Each aircraft can cover an area of 15,000 sq km equivalent to around 500 ground towers
World Mobile will draw on expertise from Stratospheric Platforms, a UK company that developed the world’s first hydrogen-powered, long-endurance aircraft for telecom services.
The company says each aircraft can cover an area of 15,000 sq km equivalent to around 500 ground towers using a with a 3-metre 5G antenna capable of delivering speeds of up to 100 Gbps and supporting 500,000 direct handset connections at once. The aircraft is fuelled with liquid hydrogen, producing zero carbon emissions.
Trials with BT in the UK, Deutsche Telekom in Germany, and operators in the Middle East have achieved download speeds of up to 90 Mbps and latency as low as one millisecond.
Protelindo already manages thousands of towers in Indonesia which is one of the most geographically challenging markets anywhere. World Mobile says its blockchain-based incentive model can deliver a scalable, self-funding way to reach areas where traditional mobile rollouts are too slow or costly.
The aircraft’s modular design also allows other uses, such as environmental monitoring, disaster response, and public safety. Early rollout targets include remote Indonesian islands and underserved parts of the United States, with live demo flights and regulatory discussions planned soon.
WMS will link directly to the World Mobile blockchain, providing high-altitude connections to AirNodes and boosting on-chain activity. Each aircraft will expand the network’s reach, support its token economy, and advance its mission of equitable global connectivity.
World Mobile will add the stratosphere ststem to its network which already spans rooftops, ground stations, and satellites marking what Watkins calls “the next chapter of a people-powered network designed for everyone.”
