Ship or Die at Accelerate 2025: Lightning Talk: Helium

Helium, the decentralized wireless network, is making waves in the telecommunications industry with its innovative approach to connectivity. In a recent lightning talk at Accelerate 2025, Abhay Kumar from Helium outlined the company's mission to provide universal connectivity and challenge the dominance of traditional telecom providers.

Summary

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Helium is on a mission to revolutionize the way we connect to wireless networks. By creating a decentralized wireless infrastructure, Helium aims to address the shortcomings of traditional telecom providers, such as poor connectivity in crowded areas, inflated phone bills, and coverage dead zones.

The company started by building an IoT network that has enabled various smart solutions, including agriculture, city monitoring, and environmental sensing. Now, Helium is expanding its focus to connect every person through a network deployed by business and venue owners.

Helium Mobile, the company's latest offering, provides users with free phone plans and rewards for sharing their location data. This innovative approach not only benefits users but also helps Helium build a more efficient network based on actual usage patterns.

With partnerships with major telecom providers like AT&T and MovedStar (Telefónica's carrier in Mexico), Helium is rapidly expanding its reach. The company recently hit a milestone of over 960,000 phones using its network in a single day, demonstrating the growing adoption of its technology.

Key Points:

Decentralized Wireless Network

Helium's core offering is a decentralized wireless network that aims to provide connectivity to every person and device. This approach challenges the traditional model of centralized telecom providers, which Helium argues are "weighing us down" with issues like poor connectivity in crowded areas, inflated bills, and coverage dead zones.

The company's solution involves giving people the agency to help themselves and their communities by deploying hotspots. This people-powered network allows businesses and individuals to contribute to and benefit from improved connectivity.

IoT Network Success

Helium's initial focus was on connecting "everything" through an IoT (Internet of Things) network. This has proven successful, with various applications built on the Helium network over the past several years. These include smart agriculture solutions, city monitoring systems, environmental and weather sensing tools, water leak detection, and tracking solutions.

The success of the IoT network serves as a proof point for Helium's decentralized approach, demonstrating how a network powered by individuals and businesses can enable improved services and applications.

Helium Mobile

Building on its IoT success, Helium has launched Helium Mobile, a service aimed at connecting every person. This mobile phone plan is available in the United States and can be downloaded from app stores. The unique selling point of Helium Mobile is its free plan option, with the ability to upgrade to paid plans for more data.

A key feature of Helium Mobile is its reward system. Users are incentivized to share their location data, which helps Helium improve its network coverage and efficiency. This data-sharing model is central to how Helium builds and optimizes its network, using real-world usage patterns to inform deployment.

Hybrid Coverage Model

Helium Mobile uses a hybrid coverage model that combines the Helium network with traditional cellular networks. In areas where Helium hotspots are available, users connect to the Helium network. When Helium coverage is not available, the service falls back to T-Mobile's network in the United States.

This hybrid approach allows Helium to offer widespread coverage while continuing to build out its own network infrastructure. It also differentiates Helium from traditional Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) by leveraging its unique, people-built network alongside established cellular infrastructure.

Rapid Expansion and Partnerships

Helium has been experiencing rapid growth and forming significant partnerships. The company recently announced a partnership with AT&T, which has driven substantial network growth. In Mexico, Helium has expanded its partnership with MovedStar, Telefónica's carrier in the country, beyond the initial pilot phase.

These partnerships, combined with the growing number of Helium hotspots deployed by individuals and businesses, are driving impressive user numbers. Helium reported nearly one million phones using its network in a single day, with expectations to surpass this milestone soon.

Future Plans and Initiatives

Helium is actively working to expand its network and engage with the community. The company recently launched a $50 million coverage grant to incentivize network builders willing to deploy large numbers of hotspots. This initiative aims to accelerate the growth of Helium's infrastructure and improve coverage.

Additionally, Helium is organizing events to connect with its community and potential partners. The upcoming Helium House event in Abu Dhabi on December 10th will feature a full day of programming, providing an opportunity for interested parties to learn more about the network and its potential applications.

Facts + Figures

• Helium Mobile offers a free phone plan with options to upgrade to $15/month or $30/month unlimited plans
• The company hit over 960,000 phones using its network last Saturday
• Helium is expecting to reach 1 million daily users soon
• Terabytes of data are being used on the Helium network daily
• Helium has partnered with AT&T in the United States
• In Mexico, Helium has expanded its partnership with MovedStar (Telefónica's carrier)
• Helium launched a $50 million coverage grant for network builders
• The company is organizing Helium House, an event in Abu Dhabi on December 10th
• Helium's network can be visualized live at world.helium.com
• In New York, digital billboards near subway stations serve as Helium hotspots

Top quotes

• "Big Telco is weighing us down."
• "We believe that we should revolutionize the way that we all connect."
• "The way employers build this network is through the subscribers that are using the network."
• "We're not a traditional MVNO if you know that term."
• "We think the future of Telco is in your hands."

Questions Answered

What is Helium's main mission?

Helium's main mission is to provide connectivity to every person and everything through a decentralized wireless network. The company aims to revolutionize the way we connect by giving people the agency to help themselves and their neighbors, challenging the traditional model of centralized telecom providers. Helium believes this approach can address issues like poor connectivity in crowded areas, inflated bills, and coverage dead zones.

How does Helium Mobile work?

Helium Mobile is a phone service that offers free and paid plans, utilizing a hybrid coverage model. It primarily uses Helium's decentralized network of hotspots deployed by individuals and businesses. In areas where Helium coverage is not available, the service falls back to traditional cellular networks (T-Mobile in the US). Users are rewarded for sharing their location data, which helps Helium optimize its network coverage based on real usage patterns.

What partnerships has Helium formed?

Helium has formed significant partnerships to expand its network and reach. Recently, the company announced a partnership with AT&T in the United States, which has driven substantial growth in network usage. In Mexico, Helium has expanded its partnership with MovedStar, Telefónica's carrier in the country, moving beyond the initial pilot phase. These partnerships allow Helium to offer more comprehensive coverage while continuing to build out its own network infrastructure.

How is Helium incentivizing network growth?

Helium is incentivizing network growth through several initiatives. The company recently launched a $50 million coverage grant to reward network builders who are willing to deploy tens or hundreds of hotspots. Additionally, Helium Mobile users are rewarded for sharing their location data, which helps the company optimize its network coverage. By involving users and independent network builders in the process, Helium aims to create a more efficient and widespread network.

What success has Helium seen so far?

Helium has seen significant success in terms of network adoption and usage. The company recently reported nearly one million phones using its network in a single day, with expectations to surpass this milestone soon. Terabytes of data are being used on the Helium network daily. The company's IoT network has also enabled various smart solutions in agriculture, city monitoring, environmental sensing, and other areas, demonstrating the practical applications of Helium's decentralized approach.

How can people get involved with Helium?

People can get involved with Helium in several ways. They can become Helium Mobile subscribers by downloading the app and signing up for a free or paid plan. Individuals and businesses can also contribute to the network by deploying Helium hotspots. For those interested in learning more, Helium is organizing events like Helium House in Abu Dhabi. Additionally, anyone can visit world.helium.com to see live data on the network's deployment and usage.

What makes Helium different from traditional mobile carriers?

Helium differentiates itself from traditional mobile carriers through its decentralized, people-powered network approach. Unlike traditional carriers that rely on centralized infrastructure, Helium's network is built and expanded by individuals and businesses deploying hotspots. The company also offers a unique hybrid coverage model, combining its own network with traditional cellular networks. Additionally, Helium Mobile provides free plan options and rewards users for contributing to the network, creating a more collaborative and user-centric model of connectivity.