NEAR Protocol Taps Deutsche Telekom as First Telecom Validator on the Network

Key Takeaways

• German telecom giant Deutsche Telekom joins NEAR Protocol’s validator program.
• Marks the first telecom validator on NEAR, underscoring growing telecom interest in Web3.
• The Telecommunications industry is increasingly exploring blockchain and crypto.

Deutsche Telekom, the German telecommunications powerhouse and parent company of T-Mobile, has joined NEAR Protocol as its first telecom validator.

This collaboration signifies a notable leap for NEAR and hints at a broader trend within the telecom industry as traditional communications companies deepen their involvement in blockchain technology.

Deutsche Telekom’s subsidiary, Telekom MMS, will become part of the Meta Pool’s Enterprise Node Operators (ENO) program, which is dedicated to fortifying NEAR’s blockchain network through enhanced security and decentralization.

The telecom giant will look to leverage its mega infrastructure to support NEAR’s decentralized ecosystem, marking a significant alignment between established telecom infrastructure and blockchain technology.

A First for Telecom on NEAR

The partnership grants Deutsche Telekom  the role of a core validator, a position that involves processing and verifying transactions on NEAR, a decentralized oracle protocol known for its scalability and focus on decentralized AI.

This validator role facilitated through Meta Pool’s ENO program, is intended to connect established enterprises with NEAR’s decentralized ecosystem by offering enterprise-grade infrastructure that aims to bolster the network’s performance and reliability.

Meta Pool, a multi-chain staking ecosystem providing liquid staking services across Ethereum, NEAR, Solana, Aurora, and ICP, established the ENO program to attract established enterprises to the decentralized ecosystem.

By joining, Deutsche Telekom can expand its presence in the blockchain space and contribute to network reliability and scalability through its proven technical resources.

Oliver Nyderle, head of Digital Trust and Web3 Infrastructure at Deutsche Telekom, expressed his optimism about the collaboration, emphasizing a shared vision for data sovereignty and control.

“The cooperation with NEAR is promising and innovative; together, we are breaking new ground. The ecosystem shares our commitment to greater data sovereignty and user control.”

Global Telecoms Turn to Blockchain

Deutsche Telekom’s entry into NEAR Protocol’s validator ecosystem highlights an expanding interest among global telecom companies in blockchain and decentralized technologies.

As the fifth-largest telecom company by revenue, Deutsche Telekom’s exploration into Web3 represents a strategic effort to diversify its portfolio and engage with blockchain, particularly in areas like staking and decentralized AI.

In a separate project, Telekom MMS partnered with Bankhaus Metzler, Germany’s second-oldest bank, to test the use of surplus renewable energy in Bitcoin mining .

This pilot, dubbed “Digital Monetary Photosynthesis,” aims to generate valuable insights and data for planning sustainable Bitcoin mining projects in the future.

Deutsche Telekom is not alone in venturing into the blockchain space.

Telecom giants across various countries—including Singapore, Spain, and South Korea—are making strides toward Web3, either through direct participation in decentralized initiatives or by investing in crypto and blockchain companies.