
Helium, a decentralized network infrastructure project - rmason
https://avc.com/2019/06/helium/
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SI_Rob
Sigh. If the tokens are tradable (and they will be, otherwise what's the use
in trying to earn them), how will this not to turn into yet another blockchain
cartel race to the bottom in pursuit of leverage over the thinly traded float?

Have Helium actually solved the paradox of bootstrapping initial distribution
of a purportedly decentralized network token from a tiny, necessarily
centralized sponsoring body* to the much wider class of eventual user-adopters
such that conditions do not favor enabling the former group's outsize leverage
over the float to permanently manipulate the chart price - thus purchasing
power - of the latter groups "earnings"?

* whether this means "the devs", "the miners" or their equivalent manifestations in this system - colluding node cliques generating high-volume fake-traffic loads maybe.

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lacker
What exactly do you mean by " _blockchain cartel race to the bottom in pursuit
of leverage over the thinly traded float_ "?

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rmason
Did a little digging and here's what I found out. Apparently Lime scooters and
Tile's trackers as well as somebody putting a transmitter in dog collars. So
if you become a Helium ISP at least in an urban area there will be a few
customers.

But you know what's missing from their website? Where I can buy a transmitter
retail to test my hotspot. Maybe you've got to build it yourself and if that's
the case technical details like the frequency or a schematic would be helpful.

Lots of times the first people to buy something new when there's no existing
base are the hobbyists.

~~~
bionicbits
There will be device dev kits soon.

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drewda
This is interesting and I'm tempted to order a base station. But how can one
buy client hardware or find reference designs for building clients that use
this network?

~~~
bionicbits
Not OP but work @Helium. All the hardware designed will be open sourced. The
end node devices can run on LoRa modules with custom (open source) firmware
and secure crypto-processor
([https://www.microchip.com/wwwproducts/en/ATECC608A](https://www.microchip.com/wwwproducts/en/ATECC608A)).

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dfischer
Wonder what the ROI is like if it costs $500.

~~~
bionicbits
There will never be any kind of answer to this question by Helium or its
affiliates. [https://consumer.findlaw.com/securities-law/what-is-the-
howe...](https://consumer.findlaw.com/securities-law/what-is-the-howey-
test.html)

~~~
dfischer
Any projected ROI based on what is known so far by community members?

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whymsicalburito
Is there any details of what the "rewards" are? I read the product page and am
not sure what the upside is for hotspot owners. Isn't the ISP's job to build
out their own network?

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dang
Also [https://techcrunch.com/2019/06/12/helium-
network/](https://techcrunch.com/2019/06/12/helium-network/), via
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20168450](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20168450)

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narak
See also: [https://magic.co](https://magic.co)

~~~
hobofan
And [https://althea.org/](https://althea.org/)

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sbr464
I’d be interested in setting up/hosting a few hotspots in Denver.
Username@gmail

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Areading314
Great to see some real blockchain innovation like Helium instead of just a
bunch of "hot air"

~~~
wmf
The proof of coverage looks pretty cool although there are probably more ways
the overall system could go wrong than it could succeed.

