Breaking news

NBA Champion Tristan Thompson Partners With World Mobile To Launch Community-Owned Mobile Network

NBA champion Tristan Thompson has unveiled a pioneering partnership with global telecom leader World Mobile to launch Uplift, a community-owned mobile network. Announced at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, this venture is set to redefine how connectivity is delivered by leveraging decentralized technology and community engagement, challenging the entrenched centralized model of the $2 trillion telecom industry.

Innovative Technology And Community Empowerment

Uplift is founded on a robust blend of blockchain technology and a decentralized physical infrastructure network (DePIN), offering unlimited data plans starting at $9.99 per month. Every subscription fuels neighborhood-level network expansion, and local “AirNode operators” earn a share of revenue by providing essential coverage. This innovative ecosystem ensures that the financial benefits of digital connectivity remain within the communities that generate them.

Leadership With A Vision For Social Impact

Beyond his celebrated basketball career with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Thompson has become a formidable advocate for technological innovation and economic inclusion. Holding multiple C-suite roles across the web3 and fintech sectors, including chief digital equity officer at World Mobile and chief advisory officer at AxonDAO, Thompson is committed to using his influence to create meaningful social change. His onstage declaration highlighted a personal mission to uplift underserved communities by making high-speed data both accessible and affordable.

Proven Scalability And Real-World Application

Uplift’s model has already demonstrated its potential in a pilot program in Reno, Nevada, where community hosts earned over $10,000 annually by extending network coverage to underserved areas. In a further testament to its reliability, Thompson’s team restored connectivity in North Carolina during a severe hurricane, outpacing competitors like Starlink by deploying rapid helicopter-assisted solutions.

Expanding Horizons

With initial rollouts slated for Cleveland, Ohio, and plans to expand to additional cities in 2026, Uplift responds to the urgent need for affordable, high-speed internet. More than 50 million Americans live at or near the poverty line, and this initiative is poised to narrow the digital divide while reinvesting value directly back into local neighborhoods.

Micron’s Strong Results Highlight Surging AI-Driven Demand For Memory Chips

Micron shares surged in premarket trading on Thursday after the company reported third-quarter results that highlighted strong demand for memory chips driven by continued investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure.

Revenue reached $41.46 billion in the fiscal third quarter, up from $9.3 billion a year earlier and well above LSEG consensus estimates of nearly $36 billion.

The company also forecast revenue of around $50 billion for the current quarter, compared with $11.3 billion in the same period last year. Following the results, Micron shares climbed 16.4% in premarket trading, extending gains over the past year and lifting the company’s market value to about $1.2 trillion.

AI Data Centers Are Tightening The Memory Market

The company’s performance reflects a broader supply-chain shift. As hyperscalers and other large cloud operators pour capital into AI infrastructure, data centers are consuming vast quantities of memory chips. That has reduced availability for smartphones, PCs and other consumer devices, creating a supply imbalance that has lifted memory prices and supercharged Micron’s results.

Micron said Wednesday that it has signed 16 long-term agreements with customers spanning data centers and automakers, locking in sales for three to five years and generating expected financial commitments of $22 billion. For a cyclical industry long exposed to boom-and-bust demand swings, that kind of visibility is especially valuable.

RBC Capital Markets analysts estimated that about 40% of Micron’s revenue now comes from long-term contracts with minimum pricing built in. That structure should help cushion margins if demand softens over time, the analysts said, while also reducing the company’s exposure to abrupt pricing declines.

“Our base case is for current upcycle to continue through 2027, and SCAs give us added conviction regarding sustainability,” RBC analysts wrote, adding that they raised estimates, lifted their price target and reiterated an Outperform rating.

Tech Stocks Catch A Bid

Micron’s results also lifted sentiment across the semiconductor sector following a broader sell-off earlier in the week. In premarket trading, Qualcomm gained 12%, Intel rose nearly 6%, AMD advanced 3.6%, and Nvidia added 1.5%.

“U.S. equities have recovered some ground as Micron’s earnings have provided fresh reassurance that the AI investment cycle remains firmly intact,” said Capital.com senior market analyst Daniela Hathorn.

She added that continued demand from data centres and AI infrastructure customers suggests capital spending on artificial intelligence remains strong, helping restore confidence across semiconductor stocks after recent market weakness.

The latest results also highlight the increasingly important role memory chips are playing in the AI supply chain, alongside processors and software, as investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure continues to accelerate.

Uol
Aretilaw firm
The Future Forbes Realty Global Properties
eCredo

Become a Speaker

Become a Speaker

Become a Partner

Subscribe for our weekly newsletter