The Helium Mobile Coverage Planner is a crucial tool for visualizing the Helium Network's coverage and planning Hotspot deployments.
The Coverage Planner uses estimated signal strengths from various devices to map existing coverage, considering factors like device direction, height, and environmental features such as buildings and landscapes.
Additionally, it includes layers of information on Boosted Locations, Urbanization, and Footfall data, helping users identify the most beneficial areas for expanding coverage.
This article will discuss how this planner works and explain the new rewards system for those who contribute to expanding the network.
How to Use Helium Mobile Coverage Planner
The Helium Mobile Coverage Planner is a powerful tool that helps you optimize the placement of your hotspots and radios for maximum coverage and rewards. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use it:
Step 1: Create a Plan
- Open the Planner: Access the Helium Mobile Coverage Planner from the official Helium website.
- Start a New Plan: Click on the option to create a new plan.
- Enter Location Details: Input the address where you plan to set up your equipment. The planner will automatically generate the latitude and longitude for that location.
Step 2: Select Your Equipment
Decide whether you’ll use an indoor Wi-Fi hotspot, an outdoor Wi-Fi hotspot, or a CBRS radio. Furthermore, select the specific model of the hotspot or radio you have. For instance, you might choose between the Baicells Nova 430h or the Baicells Nova 436h for CBRS radios.
After selecting your equipment, you’ll need to set up the antenna. Determine the height and angle at which the antenna will be placed. For directional antennas, make sure to set the azimuth, which is the direction the antenna will face.
You can buy your complete 436h bundle with a directional antenna here.
Step 3: Optimize Coverage
Use the planner to test different placements and configurations of your equipment. The goal is to find the setup that provides the best coverage. The planner visually displays the coverage area for each setup, with brighter dots indicating more valuable hexes.
If your initial setup doesn’t offer the desired coverage, don’t hesitate to adjust your equipment's height, angle, or location and test again.
Step 4: Analyze Potential Rewards
Review the reward estimates provided by the planner. It calculates potential daily rewards based on your setup and the Reward Multipliers for each hex. Remember the overlapping coverage rules, as only certain hotspots or radios will earn rewards in each hex.
Step 5: Finalize Your Plan
Once you’re happy with your setup, save your plan in the Coverage Planner and implement the setup according to the specifications. After installation, monitor your equipment’s performance using the planner. Regular monitoring will allow you to make any necessary adjustments to maintain optimal coverage and rewards.
How the New Rewards Work?
The rewards are based on the usefulness of coverage in different areas, called hexes. There are two main types of Reward Multipliers:
- Oracle Hex Boosting: This is calculated using data from Urbanization, Footfall, and Land Type oracles. Each hex is given a value from these oracles, which determines the Reward Multiplier for that location.
- Service Provider Hex Boosting: This is applied to specific hexes selected by service providers and can range from 1x to 100x. Helium Mobile uses data from Discovery Mapping and third-party sources to decide which hexes to boost.
Service Provider Hex Boosting takes precedence over Oracle Reward Multipliers. When the Service Provider Hex Boosting period ends, the Oracle Reward Multiplier becomes active for that hex. You can learn more about Boosted Locations on Helium’s website.
What Are Urbanization, Footfall, and Land Type Ratings?
These ratings help determine the reward multipliers:
- Urbanization: Hexes are assigned A, B, or C based on urbanization data:
- A: Urban area
- B: Non-urban area
- C: Outside the USA, Urban areas usually have more devices and people needing network services, making these locations ideal for Hotspot deployment.
- Footfall: Hexes are rated A, B, or C based on foot traffic data:
- A: Point of Interest (POI) with significant foot traffic
- B: POI without foot traffic
- C: Not a POI More foot traffic indicates more data transmission, which can increase network activity and earnings for Hotspot owners.
- Land Type: Hexes are classified as A, B, or C based on land type:
- A: Built-up areas
- B: Areas with tree cover, shrubland, or grassland
- C: Cropland, water, etc. Built-up areas are typically better for deploying Hotspots due to higher potential usage.
The reward multiplier for each hex combines these three ratings, encouraging Hotspot deployment in locations that will benefit the network the most.
Overlapping Coverage on Proof-of-Coverage Rewards
As of June 12th, 2024, the Helium Network has updated the rules for how Wi-Fi Hotspots and CBRS radios earn Proof-of-Coverage (PoC) rewards in overlapping coverage areas.
For indoor Wi-Fi Hotspots, only one Hotspot can earn rewards in a given location (hex). The Hotspot that has been online the longest gets the rewards. For outdoor Wi-Fi Hotspots, up to three Hotspots can earn rewards ranked by their signal strength and how long they have been online.
The rules for CBRS radios are similar. Only one indoor CBRS radio can earn rewards in a hex-based on signal strength and online time. For outdoor CBRS radios, up to three can earn rewards, also ranked by signal strength and online duration.
Ready to get started? Head over to our site to buy the Helium equipment you need. We offer a range of indoor and outdoor Wi-Fi hotspots and CBRS radios to help you build your coverage and earn rewards.
If you have any questions or need help, our team is here for you.