The number of access points of the decentralized IoT Helium network is approaching 1 million. The new type of communication is already available in 187 countries.

The number of hotspots - access points - is approaching 1 million for the distributed IoT network Helium Network (HNT). According to Helium's December 29 tweet, over 980,000 hotspots from 76,000 cities in 187 countries are registered on the network.

A little earlier, the network hit the headlines thanks to the growth of the HNT token. On December 22, the value of the cryptocurrency increased by 32%. The rise is associated with the transition of the 5G network to the Solana blockchain.

Helium Network is a peer-to-peer decentralized 5G network. In August 2022, the startup raised $111 million in a funding round led by the a16z Foundation (Andreessen Horowitz).

The difference between Helium and Verizon and other familiar cellular networks is the use of a decentralized infrastructure based on access points. Access points are compact wireless devices that are connected to the Helium network. They provide coverage and availability of communications without relying on expensive cell towers operated by centralized mobile operators.