Expanding the Decentralized Internet

The DAWN team is excited to announce that we have teamed up with Helium, a pioneer in decentralized wireless communications, to establish the world’s first fully decentralized last-mile Internet solution. By combining Helium’s community-powered Hotspot network with DAWN’s broadband nodes, this partnership advances a new, fully community-owned Internet that prioritizes affordability, accessibility, and equitability. 

For decades, mobile, business, and home Internet access has been dominated by a handful of centralized providers, leaving consumers with limited options, high costs, and rigid terms. By giving people the tools to build and benefit from mobile telecommunications infrastructure, we can offer a decentralized alternative that empowers individuals to participate directly.

Today, anyone can contribute to building the Helium Network by setting up a Hotspot in a local business, retail shop, event venue, or other location with high foot traffic. In return, Hotspot owners are rewarded in crypto for providing coverage and connecting nearby phones. The more phone data that Hotspots transfer, the more the Hotspot owner can earn.

By integrating Helium Passpoint into our hardware, DAWN will extend the Helium Network’s reach while connecting Helium Mobile subscribers directly to data centers, allowing nearby homes and businesses to access and share the Internet without relying on traditional Internet service providers. This fully decentralized model eliminates the middleman for both mobile and broadband, reduces costs, and enables users to share connectivity with others.

Through this partnership, DAWN’s infrastructure and devices will integrate with the Helium Network, allowing its subscribers – and users of other major carriers – to benefit from expanded connectivity options when near DAWN devices, enhancing their access to reliable and affordable Internet. Additionally, Helium Mobile Hotspots users will now have an additional option for decentralized broadband. By integrating DAWN’s broadband nodes with Helium’s mobile ecosystem, both networks now form a seamless, decentralized alternative to traditional last-mile providers.

As part of this partnership, initially 8,000 nodes in the DAWN ecosystem will be integrated into the Helium Network and will continue to be included in new DAWN nodes in 2025 and beyond.