Hello, I’m conducting an experiment in Newark, DE. This experiment involves radio frequencies, decentralized mobile internet, and cryptocurrency. You’re probably thinking “What does that even mean? When do I get paid?” Don’t worry I’ll get to that in a bit. But first, a bit of explanation.
This is a Bobcat miner 300, also known as a Helium Hotspot. A Helium Hotspot is a small hardware device that can create a wireless network for devices that use the Helium network. Think of these things like Wi-Fi routers, but instead of wifi for your home, its a 3g/4g wifi hotspot that can reach up to half a mile. It works by turning your home wifi into a mini satellite, emitting a signal that IOT devices can connect to the internet through. This connection occurs over a blockchain, a highly secure infrastructure that has proven un-hackable to this day. The Helium router will not expose any information about your router to the outside world, as the actual traffic occurs through the hotspot. Any attempts to retrieve data will come from the Helium hotspot, not the actual router. Your data will be safe.
Why deploy a Hotspot?
Hotspots provide internet connectivity for all sorts of IoT devices: phones, bikes, scooters, temperature sensors, location trackers for pets, elevators, wildfire sensors, and much more. In return for providing this data, the Hotspot earns a cryptocurrency called Helium which is used to power the Helium network. I am trying to create a network of these hotspots around Newark to bring decentralized internet to UD, and mine Helium in the process.
Ok this sounds cool and all, but what’s in it for me?
In return for helping me establish a hotspot, you will be paid $50–$200 monthly, depending on how much Helium is mined at your hotspot (I could also pay you in Helium if you’d like). All you need to do is allow me to set up the hotspot at your residence, and I will check on it once a month to retrieve any Helium it has mined. Just make sure it’s always plugged into power and connected to Wi-Fi. That’s all. You’d be getting paid for little to no work. It’s also very quiet, so it won’t be much bother.
How much will it cost me to run?
There is nearly zero cost. The Hotspot uses a small amount of power, roughly 5W at peak. This is less than a standard LED light bulb. In a city like San Francisco, it will cost you less than $.05 per day to run. In Newark, even less. I will cover any additional costs to your electric bill caused by the hotspot.
Will it consume a lot of data?
The Helium hotspot consumes around 30–50gb of data monthly. The average Netflix user consumes around 20gb a month. So to put that into perspective, running a Helium hotspot would be like having a roommate who watches a lot of Netflix.
If all that sounds good to you
Head on over to https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1a2YYIDIRZ8bHpL32XT6M6GLq_fi-QGezfg8qE20xFz8/ to complete a form I prepared for you. These hotspots are pretty expensive, so I can’t be throwing them around willy-nilly without some assurance.
A quick note..
I only have a finite number of hotspots, so not everyone will qualify. Qualification will be based on location and elevation. Helium hotspots work best when they are appropriately distanced from the other hotspots around it. Elevation also plays a factor: the higher up you are, the farther the signal will reach.