🌍 A decentralized global network of hotspots
Today's Highlights
- Helium
- This Week On BuzzBelow - a recap on this week's topics.
- In Other News - a few interesting developments we're tracking.
Helium - a paradigm shift for decentralized wireless infrastructure
Helium is a blockchain network that leverages a decentralized global network of hotspots - devices that double as network miners and wireless access points. Initially these devices will provide long-range connectivity to Internet Of Things (IoT). In the long term these decentralized global network of devices will connect anything to the internet.
Helium’s primary concern is creating technology to facilitate a peer-to-peer wireless network called The People’s Network. The People’s Network is a wireless network consisting of wireless hotspots connected to a user’s WiFi router, but as a tradeoff, they are capable of projecting a WiFi signal at a greater range than a typical router.
The network functions as a sort of wireless platform in which other IoT services can function. Pets can be tracked, scooters can be shared around the network’s hotspots.
The Helium blockchain uses two types of digital tokens to help it function. Helium and Data Credits. Helium hotspots mine Helium tokens by performing various kinds of network operations. Data Credits can be earned only by burning Helium. These Data Credits are used to pay for the cost of transferring data on the network.
Helium was founded by Shawn Fanning, Amir Haleem and Sean Carey. Helium has raised $364.8M in funding.