Anyone can run a piece of a 5G network now

One Box, One Blockchain, One Network Slice

@bloxtel took the stage at the @avax Summit on September 17 to demonstrate its AP 201 access point, a single unit that packages 5G radio, a full network core, edge computing, and network management into one device. The appearance marks a public milestone in Bloxtel's strategic partnership with Ava Labs, under which the two organisations are building what they describe as the market's first fully decentralised 5G network.

Unlike traditional solutions that rely on centralised cloud cores, the AP 201 brings the full 5G Core, including the Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) and User Plane Function (UPF), directly onto edge hardware through Bloxtel's Open6GC architecture. The result is a device that deploys like an enterprise Wi-Fi access point but runs a full carrier-grade 5G core inside it.

Rather than running on infrastructure a single carrier owns and leases, each unit is registered on-chain as its own address, and the subscriber credentials that connect to it are minted as dSIM tokens: real-world assets that let a landlord, a venue, or a community fund a cell the same way they might back a piece of physical infrastructure, and earn against the traffic it carries.

dSIM: Subscriber Identity Goes Onchain

Bloxtel's core innovation is its patented dSIM technology, which uses asymmetric PKI-based authentication to replace traditional SIM card infrastructure. In practical terms, device identity and network authentication happen through cryptographic key pairs rather than a physical chip tied to a carrier. Bloxtel's clients can also associate tokenised proofs of ownership with their network subscriptions to prevent SIM swap attacks.

Co-founder Izzo Wane is a former AT&T executive who previously founded Simless, another venture in the connectivity space. His stated goal is straightforward: whoever plugs in a unit should own a piece of the network they build. John Nahas, Chief Business Officer at Ava Labs, noted that real-world assets on Avalanche have largely focused on funds, credit, and other financial instruments, and that Bloxtel extends that model into physical network infrastructure.

The device supports US band 48 and international band 78, and is being manufactured through a partnership with Askey Computer Corp., a subsidiary of ASUS. The AP 201 is slated for availability in Q4 2026.

Sources:
Bloxtel Tokenizes 5G Infrastructure on Avalanche (EIN Presswire)
Bloxtel brings private 5G infrastructure onchain with Avalanche (Crypto Briefing)
Askey and Bloxtel Strategic Partnership Announcement (PR Newswire)