Collection: Helium

Founded in 2019, the Helium Network is a blockchain-based, decentralized wireless network that allows people and devices to connect with the Internet. Participants who deploy wireless hardware on behalf of the network are rewarded with Helium's native token, HNT, as an incentive for maintaining and expanding the network's coverage. It is known as "The People's Network" because it is owned and operated by the community of users rather than a centralized entity. Helium initially launched with an IoT-focused network called LoRaWAN and enjoyed great success, motivating hundreds of thousands of people around the world to deploy nearly 1M “hotspots” providing IoT coverage. The overarching network is not limited to IoT use cases and Helium is now expanding to other wireless technologies, including a CBRS-based cellular network and a future WiFi network. The project is flexible and future-proof, aiming to create a more affordable, efficient, and accessible method of building the wireless networks of the future.

You can mine HNT tokens using an IoT hotspot. This involves purchasing a Helium hotspot device, which acts as a node on the network, and using it to provide wireless coverage to IoT devices or 5G cellular devices. Node operators are rewarded with HNT tokens for providing coverage and relaying data on the network.

The IoT network utilizes unlicensed spectrum in the sub GHz range, varying by country and region. Helium’s IoT network is currently active in 190 countries as this spectrum is generally free to use worldwide.

The main way to use the Helium Network is to connect devices (IoT sensors, cell phones) to the Internet. IoT use cases include asset tracking, temperature monitoring, or any low-bandwidth transmission.