TL;DR
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the Helium network started out as a low-bandwidth Wi-Fi network for Internet-connected refrigerators, washing machines, toasters, etc., which was a complex solution to a non-existent problem.
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Since then, the people behind Helium have turned around and are doing something interesting with their technology.
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The team is building a decentralized 5G mobile data network, which costs $5 per month for unlimited calls, texts and data – when available*.
Full story
Just because your original idea was a stinker doesn’t mean it can’t be fixed.
For example:
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YouTube was originally a video dating site
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AirBnb forced its hosts to let guests sleep on air mattresses (even if a normal bed was available)
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Instagram was initially just an app linking bars that served delicious bourbon whiskey (seriously!)
…and the Helium network started as a low-bandwidth Wi-Fi network for refrigerators, washing machines, toasters, etc.
The idea was that people would share their Wi-Fi data at home with others in their vicinity, to connect niche devices to the Internet.
It was a complex solution to a non-existent problem.
But that was then. Since then, the people behind Helium have turned around and are doing something interesting with their technology.
The team is building a decentralized 5G mobile data network, which costs $5 per month for unlimited calls, texts and data – when available*.
(*That’s nowhere outside of Miami at this point…but it’s still early days).
Here’s the good, the bad, and the ‘oh, that’s kinda cool!’ everything…
The good: five bucks for unlimited calls, texts and data without committing to contracts, no going to a store, no talking to customer service representatives – just *beep bloop beep* and you’ve got service?
That’s a silky smooth user experience right there! (One we would absolutely love to use while traveling).
The bad: most people already have a telephone subscription. Switch to an open network that may or may not work depending on which city/country you are in?
That stinks.
In almost all cases we like to go through a traditional carrier, just for peace of mind.
The ‘oh, that’s cool!’: if you have an existing provider plan – the goal is that in the future you can share your unused data with the Helium network and get paid for it in crypto.
(Which would be if you left your iPhone’s “Personal Hotspot” feature open and got paid every time someone used it).
…is all this enough to convince consumers to change their behaviour?
Probably not.