HELIUM ANALYSIS

The Helium Network already provides decentralized connections for the Internet of Things (IoT) and is positioned to do the same for 5G cellular network offloading, expanding 5G service availability for IoT devices and smartphones operating in the US Citizens Band Radio Service (CBRS) band—a band that offers both licensed and open use mobile data access. Helium hopes to partner with mobile network operators (MNOs) and mobile service wholesalers looking to augment their 5G networks.

Self-appointed as ‘The People’s Network,’ the existing LoRa-based Helium Network is live with 28,000+ hotspots devices deployed in over 3,800 cities worldwide, and there are 200,000+ hotspot devices on backorder from various manufacturers.

Helium aims to take that experience and apply it to a new tier of 5G connectivity that is enabled by the unique CBRS spectrum, 3550 MHz-3700 MHz, which the US Federal Communications Commission has made available on three tiers of access, two of which are open to non-government users. Though the Priority Access level is licensed, General Authorized Access permits open access for the widest group of potential users and use cases.