Over the past year, Uplink Points and Referrals helped us do something ambitious: bootstrap global participation in decentralized telecom infrastructure.

Phase 1 achieved what it set out to do. Now it’s time to build on that foundation.

Why Uplink Points Existed

When we created the Uplink Points and Referrals Program, we had a clear objective: to jump-start global participation in decentralized telecom infrastructure.

Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePIN) require real supply in order to become useful. Incentivizing early involvement was the most effective way to discover and activate that supply at scale. With Uplink Points, participants engaged with the platform, registered routers, and contributed to a shared vision of a more open and resilient connectivity layer, all the while being rewarded for their early participation.

This approach brought the concept of truly decentralized connectivity into the real world. It allowed us to move far beyond what any single team could deploy alone and transform community interest into measurable infrastructure growth.

What Phase 1 Achieved

Thanks to the global Uplinker community, Phase 1 delivered extraordinary results:

• Six Million registered routers worldwide, demonstrating global interest and participation in decentralized connectivity.
• A vibrant, engaged community that embraced experimentation and contribution across 20+ countries.
• A diverse set of early participants who helped stress-test the platform and strengthen both product and infrastructure.

These numbers aren’t just metrics. They represent proof that people everywhere want to participate in a new kind of connectivity network, one where any person and any device can become part of the infrastructure layer.

Why Phase 1 Is Concluding

Phase 1 served its purpose.

Uplink Points were always designed as a bootstrapping mechanism, a way to accelerate early discovery and network growth.

As the network matured, our priorities are shifting toward the build and implementation of infrastructure that enterprises, applications, and real users can depend on in a full production environment.

By concluding the points and referral earning program, we can now divert resources towards this next stage of development: verified infrastructure, enterprise-demand matching (at scale), and of course testnet and TGE.

What Comes Next — Phase 2 Begins March 12

On March 12, Uplink officially is in Phase 2 of its roadmap: the production era. This phase is centered around three key pillars:

Verified Routers

We are shifting toward verified infrastructure: systems and devices already in-network that meet reliability standards required for enterprise deployment. This is already being done successfully in our Pilot programs, now it's time to do this at scale. Results on these pilots will be shared in the near future.

Verified routers enable enterprises (demand) to begin offloading immediately, while also positioning the community to tap into real, utility-driven network activity. This means access to free, global internet as we roll out service capabilities.

Enterprise Demand Matching

For decentralized infrastructure to matter, supply must meet demand. Otherwise, no one is earning for providing on the network. 

Phase 2 focuses on linking verified connectivity supply with real enterprise and application demand. This includes strengthening performance systems, security standards, visibility tools, and scalability across global markets.

This means real usage.

Real demand.

Real revenue, pre-TGE.

This transition reflects the natural maturation of the network and a meaningful step toward fulfilling Uplink’s mission: building a decentralized, open connectivity layer that works in the real world.

Uplink Testnet

Phase 2 will include Uplink’s production-oriented testnet, the first live environment where the network’s on-chain activity, accounting systems, and operational mechanics are running in alignment with long-term utility.

This will initially not include full validator participation but instead will prioritize stability, correctness, and the accounting foundations necessary for scalable real-world deployment. We’ll be releasing more information on the timing of testnet soon. Below is a visual of our updated Roadmap, full descriptions of each phase can be found in the Uplink Litepaper.  

What Users Get

Your contributions over the past year matter. As we transition into Phase 2, you can expect:

• Continued community engagement through social activities, NFTs and various rewards.
• Regular product and technical updates from the team.
• Visibility into testnet milestones, verified router programs, and future utility pathways.
• Access to upcoming connectivity features, including free internet access as capabilities go live.
• And, many ongoing partnership announcements (full transparency). 

Platform Updates During Transition

As we approach March 12, we are aware of ongoing platform display issues, primarily related to points visibility and front-end updates. These challenges stem from technical limitations within a third-party vendor platform that affects how data appears in real time.

Most importantly: ALL user activity continues to be fully recorded within Uplink’s backend systems. Your accumulated points remain accurate and will be reflected in your dashboard total on March 12 as we complete the Phase 2 transition. Your total points will carry forward into the ongoing phases leading up to TGE. Due to the restructuring of the platforms and spinning down of the points program, ongoing display and front-end issues will no longer occur. 

Our focus remains on building long-term infrastructure stability and ensuring a high-quality experience as we move into production. Here’s a list of all changes you should expect to see across the Uplink platforms:

PORTAL

• Earnings + Networks page combined : Total points earned during Phase 1, no additional analytical data (snapshot stored). 
• Concluded Pages: Referrals, Leaderboard, My Points, and Social Missions (all activity data stored) 

UPLINK APP

• Networks: Users will continue to have the ability to register and manage routers on the Uplink App to contribute to the Uplink ecosystem. Registering routers ensures we’re ready to build the tool or solution for your device to convert to a verified router at a later date. 
• Surge: Users will be able to see upcoming surge events and activations. 
• Explorer: Users will continue to have access to the Coverage Map and see the Uplink network worldwide. 
• Concluded sections: Referrals, Leaderboard, My Points. 

MAP

• Minimal update from “zoom” feature → heat map feature, same capabilities. 

This transition will enable our team to shift resources into production, enterprise-demand matching environments at a global scale. Throughout this phase, we will be regularly updating the platforms to reflect this new focus and share key features (such as free internet access to Uplink verified networks) with the community first.

Resources & Where to Learn More

We’ve updated key materials to reflect Phase 2:

• Full documentation: docs.uplink.xyz
• Updated roadmap in the Litepaper: litepaper.uplink.xyz
• Website updates: uplink.xyz

You can also find a detailed FAQ in the Uplink Docs and within our Discord community. Our team and moderators are available there to answer any questions, as usual.

What Comes After Phase 2

Beyond this transition, Uplink continues progressing towards mainnet and our Token Generation Event (TGE). We understand that anticipation around testnet and TGE timelines are top-of-mind for many in our community, and it continues to be for the team as well.

Our priorities remain clear:

• Enterprise-demand development
• Core product execution
• Infrastructure stability

With those pillars in place, the milestones that follow will be built on substance. Our Uplinker community will always receive first access to official announcements and dates once they are finalized.

→ Phase 1 was about discovery.
→ Phase 2 is about delivery.

Thank you to every Uplinker who has contributed thus far to Uplink’s journey! The network you’ve helped build is stronger, more focused, and closer than ever to delivering real impact in global telecommunications.

Stay connected. 

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— The Uplink Team

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