goTenna, a mobile mesh networking company, today announced Global Mesh Labs, a new entity for their open-source protocol that will allow for easier person-to-person transactions.

By creating Global Mesh Labs and open-sourcing its Lot49 protocol, goTenna will partner with developers and Bitcoin enthusiasts to build on its innovation in the mesh networking space. The protocol also allows users to pay each other directly instead of transacting through a centralized ISP or mobile carrier.

As part of today’s launch, goTenna released the whitepaper on its open-source Lot49 protocol, the company’s blueprint for enabling mobile mesh network users to exchange incentive payments in a global, decentralized messaging network.

“We are excited about today’s announcement because it demonstrates the progress we’ve made adapting the Bitcoin network to incentivize a new bottom-up communication layer for the internet. Mesh networks also offer the Bitcoin community an alternative transport layer that can reach communities traditional networks cannot and with improved resistance to surveillance, censorship, and natural disasters.”

– Daniela Perdomo, goTenna co-founder, and CEO

The Lot49 protocol builds on concepts and technology developed for the Bitcoin Lightning Network to incentivize data delivery in a global decentralized mesh communication network.

Using bitcoin micropayments to drive the bottom-up adoption of mesh networks, the Lot49 protocol lets people provide coverage and capacity where and when it is needed.

“The dedicated Bitcoin user community has a real need and strong desire for resilient communications alternatives, and we’re excited to work with the community to test and improve our ideas. Our ultimate goal is to create a global incentivized mesh network. We’re just getting started.”

– Richard Myers, goTenna engineer and the author of the Lot49 protocol whitepaper

goTenna will also explore work with other hardware vendors interested in supporting the Lot49 protocol with their own devices, and continuously refine the Lot49 protocol with feedback from the Bitcoin technical community.