US telecom giant Sprint develops new blockchain-based applications, and global telecom giants are entering the blockchain

US telecommunications giant Sprint is working on a new blockchain project, with the focus on its use in carriers.

Sprint is now working with Japanese telecommunications group Softbank and California blockchain startup TBCASoft INC. According to Statista, Sprint is the fourth largest telecommunications service provider in the United States, second only to Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile.

For now, Sprint's cooperation with the other two companies is still in the early stages, as the three companies said today that joint testing will have to wait until June. This test will use a platform developed by TBCASoft to connect Sprint's systems together.

Sprint has confirmed that joint testing will indeed take place, with a representative from the company saying:

“Our collaboration with SoftBank and TBCASoft is part of our shared interest in understanding the full potential of blockchain technology to improve carrier-to-carrier transactions and the end-user experience, thereby further simplifying consumer transactions.

Telecom giants are exploring blockchain technology

Sprint is by no means the only telecom giant in the world that is investigating blockchain technology.

In the past two years, a number of telecom companies have begun seeking patents for blockchain technology, including AT&T, British Telecom and Verizon.

Like Sprint, some telecom companies are conducting joint research on blockchain technology. For example, Swisscom AG, a Swiss state-owned telecom company, announced in December last year that it had joined the Hyperledger blockchain project led by the Linux Foundation. UAE telecom company Du also joined the Dubai Global Blockchain Council last year.

In addition, French telecom operator Orange is also investing in the blockchain industry.