A new cell phone service, REALLY, announced last week that it had received $18 million in seed-stage funding.
Adam Lyons, the founder of TheZebra.com, is the company’s founder and CEO.
“We raised this capital to create the modern telco. TRULY is a technology company. A lifestyle brand. A movement. We’re building the telco that people love,” Lyons wrote in a LinkedIn post.
Polychain led the round with Floodgate founder Mike Maples Jr and other strategic partners.
According to Lyons, REALLY wants to be the number one online retailer for phone plans. However, he said it also plans to offer its products and services alongside others.
“TRUE IS already the most comprehensive wireless comparison platform in the country, comparing over 279 plans across 50 carriers,” Lyons wrote in his post. “But we’re not stopping there. We plan to launch our own phone service later this year for people who care about their community and privacy.”
REALLY’s mobile network and infrastructure will create a blockchain-powered telecommunications community owned by the people who use it, with a focus on privacy, accessibility and anonymity for a 5G network.
Among the industry experts leading the rollout of infrastructure and service for REALLY are executives from AT&T, T-Mobile, GoogleFi, uShip, Indeed, Niche and The Zebra.
“Smartphones and mobile networks have become indispensable, yet most people do not love their service provider. We see a huge opportunity to fix this and our mission is to create a brand in this industry that people trust and love,” said Lyons. “We’re building a better, more affordable phone service that allows communities to build equity and support their neighbors using their cell phones. Those interested in placing a mini cell tower in their home or business will also have the opportunity to earn in USD No other network exists really puts the ability to create and run the network in the hands of users like this.”
REALLY Wireless will be launched later this year.
“The ongoing and rapid adoption of Web3 and blockchain into our everyday lives has enabled an unprecedented period of change in telecommunications,” said Maples Jr., founding partner at Floodgate, in a press release. “Adam and the team of industry experts assembled to bring REAL to life have proven excellence in their fields. We are excited to play a role in this paradigm shift in telecommunications that will redefine how the industry operates.”