A new mobile 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. REALLY is a tech company. A lifestyle brand. A movement. We are building the telecommunications company that people love,” Lyons wrote in a LinkedIn post.
Polychain led the round with Floodgate founding partner 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.
“REALLY is already the most comprehensive wireless comparison platform in the nation comparing over 279 plans across 50 carriers,” Lyons wrote in his post. “But we aren’t stopping there. We plan to launch our own phone service later this year for people that care about their community and privacy.”
REALLY’s mobile network and infrastructure will create a blockchain-powered telecommunications community owned by the people using it, focusing on privacy, accessibility and anonymity for a 5G network.
Among the industry experts leading the infrastructure and service build-out 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 don’t love their service provider. We see a massive opportunity to fix this, and our mission is to create a brand in this industry that people trust and love,” Lyons said. “We are building a better, more affordable phone service allowing communities to build equity and support their neighbors by using their cell phones. Those interested in putting a mini cell tower in their home or business will also have the opportunity to earn in USD. No other network exists that truly puts the ability to create and power the network in the hands of users like this.”
REALLY Wireless is set to launch later this year.
“The ongoing and rapid adoption of Web3 and blockchain into our everyday lives has allowed for an unprecedented period of change in telecommunications,” said Maples Jr., founding partner at Floodgate, said in a news release. “Adam and the team of industry experts assembled to make REALLY a reality have proven track records of excellence in their fields. We are excited to be able to play a part in this paradigm shift in telecommunications that will redefine how the industry functions.”