Helium Partners With AT&T to Expand Decentralized Wi-Fi Coverage

Helium, the decentralized wireless infrastructure network, has announced a strategic collaboration with AT&T that will allow the telecom giant's subscribers

Helium, the decentralized wireless infrastructure network, has announced a partnership with AT&T to integrate the telecom giant’s subscribers into Helium’s community-powered hotspots.

The partnership, unveiled Thursday, will see AT&T mobile customers automatically connect to Helium hotspots when in range, improving coverage and network efficiency without relying solely on traditional infrastructure.

“This is a commercial agreement between AT&T and Nova Labs, the developer of the Helium network,” Helium's general manager of network, Mario Di Dio, clarified in an email to The Block.

The integration marks a significant milestone for Helium’s DePIN (Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network) model, which rewards individuals with HNT tokens for deploying "mini cell towers"—known as Hotspots—that provide local Wi-Fi coverage.

According to Helium, it has more than 93,000 hotspots deployed in North America, with “thousands” already live and ready to support AT&T traffic.

The partnership will not involve AT&T paying hotspot operators directly. Instead, operators will continue to earn HNT tokens through Helium’s existing usage-based reward system, which incentivizes the expansion and activity of the network.