Helium's decentralized physical infrastructure network continues its impressive growth and confirms its position as a leader in the DePin sector. Roadmap announcements, technology updates, expanded adoption, and strategic partnerships have fueled the growing momentum behind Helium's community-driven model.

The People's Network's native cryptocurrency, Helium (HNT), more than doubled in price in less than two months, rising above $7 in August from around $3.2 in mid-July. After reaching a peak of $7.93 on August 18, HNT has been consolidating around $6.75 with a market capitalization of approximately $1.12 billion. The circulating supply of HNT is around 160.88 million tokens according to CoinGecko data.

Helium Mobile: Licensing program, Tech upgrades, and New proposals

After hitting 100,000 subscribers in July, Helium Mobile is not slowing down: It just launched in Puerto Rico and now allows crypto payments via a partnership with Sphere Labs. Two new proposals to support the integration of data-only mobile hotspots (HIP 130) and the bridging of verification mappers with anti-gaming measures (HIP 131, amending HIP 125) will conclude voting today.

The introduction of the Helium Mobile Technology Licensing Program in June has allowed third-party manufacturers like RAKwireless to produce compatible devices. This initiative helps broaden network access and aims to create a more robust and accessible mobile network.

Helium Mobile also became a certified OpenRoaming partner in July. The Wireless Broadband Alliance's framework simplifies the connection process for users, allowing them to move seamlessly between different carrier networks without needing to connect or enter credentials manually. This technology enhances user experience by providing secure and effortless transitions, fostering broader network usability and integration with existing telecommunications infrastructure.

Showing no signs of slowing its expansion, Helium recently launched the Carrier Offload beta phase with major U.S. mobile carriers to optimize data transfer processes. This initiative, enabled by HIP-129, allows subscribers from multiple carriers to connect and transfer data through Helium Mobile Hotspots.

The Helium Network's decentralized approach distributes data across individual deployments, potentially reducing carriers' capital expenditures while meeting increasing data demands. The beta phase, currently involving 25 hotspots and over 250,000 offload subscribers, presents an opportunity for network builders to demonstrate the network's utility and increase their reward potential.

All Helium Mobile Hotspots are automatically eligible for carrier offloading beta periods, with participation in specific carrier betas determined by the carriers themselves. While data transfer during the beta remains unrewarded, successful implementation could lead to changes in this policy. HIP-129 places Helium at the forefront of telecom innovation, potentially transforming the industry by introducing decentralization as a future ideal upgrading solution.

Helium Powers Environmental Projects

Building on the momentum of Helium Mobile's advancements, the Helium Network continues to build its reach and impact with global sustainability initiatives.

Last week, the Helium community approved HIP 128, paving the way for a major expansion into the energy sector. Introduced in July, this proposal by Swedish platform Srcful establishes the ENERGY subnetwork and token within the Helium ecosystem, laying the economic foundation for integrating decentralized energy resources like solar panels and battery storage.

Helium's current network allows individuals to operate nodes in its Internet of Things (IOT) system in exchange for IOT tokens, which are based on the Solana blockchain and can be converted to HNT tokens.

The proposal includes a firmware update that would enable existing Helium IoT hotspots to also support Srcful, a platform aiming to aggregate distributed energy sources into a virtual power plant (VPP). VPPs allow smaller energy sources, such as residential solar panels and batteries, to be pooled together to stabilize the energy grid. Households that contribute their excess energy would earn ENERGY tokens in return, expanding Helium's utility beyond IoT to the renewable energy space.

A standout feature of the new subnetwork is the potential for dual mining, where existing Helium Hotspots can be upgraded to contribute to both the IoT and ENERGY networks. This not only opens up new opportunities for network participants but also leverages Helium's current IoT infrastructure for transmitting energy data. This increased data usage is expected to drive higher Data Credit (DC) burns and boost the value of HNT.

While the community's green light on HIP 128 is a significant leap forward, the actual launch of the ENERGY subnetwork hinges on an additional implementation HIP, mirroring the process we saw with HIP 77 for the Mobile subnetwork. This phased approach ensures thorough planning and continued community involvement in the network's growth.

Another recent project in Xochimilco, Mexico City, further proves the network's versatility and real-world applications. Earlier this month, SensorETA, in collaboration with WeatherXM and SwissBorg, deployed 30 pilot weather stations in this UNESCO World Heritage site, leveraging the Helium IOT Network to address pressing environmental challenges.

The weather stations collect precise meteorological data, providing local communities with valuable insights to manage water scarcity and make informed agricultural decisions. This initiative supports smallholder farms, bolsters food security, and enhances preparedness for extreme weather events.

Through the collection and transmission of crucial weather data, the project demonstrates how blockchain and IoT technologies can address real-world issues, benefiting local communities while reinforcing Helium's role in maintaining the world's largest public IoT network and solidifying its position in the DePin sector.

Helium Redefines Its Goals

In a blog post published in early July, the Helium Foundation shared its plans for the ecosystem's development and its "Network of Networks" vision. CEO Abhay Kumar explained in an interview with Blockworks that the decision to expand Helium's focus was not solely driven by internal mandates (as a US-based 501(c)(6) organization, Helium has a legal requirement to clearly define its mission annually) but rather by ongoing exploration of how the firm's open-source technology could benefit other decentralized physical infrastructure networks, such as Scrful's ENERGY network.

When discussing what Helium might look like in the next decade, Kumar emphasized the potential for multiple networks operating within a single ecosystem, some even competing with one another. This vision highlights a layered infrastructure where different networks share a common coordination framework despite their differences.

Regarding the development of subnetworks, Kumar stressed that Helium is committed to enhancing its existing IoT infrastructure while simultaneously exploring new opportunities. Helium's strategy is not just to manage new projects but to ensure they align with existing operations, which will allow for scalable growth. The criteria for selecting subnetwork projects are grounded in three main areas of overlap: technical, economic, and social. According to Kumar, a successful subnetwork should ideally intersect with at least two of these areas, with the best candidates hitting all three.

The ongoing integration of decentralized technologies across telecom, energy, and environmental sectors highlights Helium's ambition to redefine network infrastructure through community-driven efforts. We'll continue to observe how these initiatives unfold and shape the future of decentralized infrastructure, particularly as Helium advances its "Network of Networks" vision.

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