Hey, @whatsup.
I've been looking at decentralized or peer to peer ways to get on the internet, or create a new one for a couple of years now. Not all are blockchained based, but there are definitely more and more companies getting into the space. It will be cool to see if someone can do it, and get it right.
Helium, from what I've been reading on their website, is selling Helium hubs to create networks for the Internet of Things, which are low power, low data types of devices. In other words, not smartphone, tablets or computers, but more like dog collars to keep track of pets, and sensors on refrigerators or water coolers that can tell when supplies are low so a vendor can provide more food or water.
Very cool concepts, though, and probably very much worth looking into. Helium is trading right around $0.02 USD after a January all-time high of $3-plus USD. They've got some venture capital coming in as someone else said.
It's just not built or designed to be the network that gets us all away from Comcast, Verizon or AT&T and providing or own daisy-chained access to the Internet. :)
It also connects to existing WiFi connections, so I'm not sure how that's supposed to get away from the big IPs.
For that you should check out https://althea.net
Posted using Partiko Android
Hey, @hueso.
Interesting. I notice they don't quote equipment costs. Are you a part of the network? I'm wondering if you have experience with it as far as cost and performance. From what I've read so far, sounds like a cool idea. :)
I am currently not running a node. Costs will depend on your setup but minimum requirements are 128mb ram and 16mb storage so you could run it on a low-end router, a raspberry pi or an old computer, plus antennas and/or cabling. See https://althea.net/firmware
Nothing like offering up something free or reduced off the backs of others infrastructure (lol). Something tells me in the end free or reduced won't be so free and reduced when the lawsuits from the giants start flying.
Hey, @sunlit7.
Yeah, that will be interesting to see. I did do some more reading about that. The access to the internet is actually purchased through a wholesaler, so the folks before the giant IPs we deal with. I'm not sure what that costs, but my guess is, it's not what I'm paying a month. So, the more people they can sign up and help to offset the costs through their tokens, the better, I imagine.
re: infrastructure
Kind of like STEEM, where the witnesses set up their own servers? I haven't been able to find how much the antennas and cabling costs, but the routers are normal off the shelf types that get a firmware update.
At any rate, I like the idea of peer to peer, or a decentralized internet. Whether this is the solution, I don't know, but with each iteration, something's bound to work, which I think is more or less what whatsup's said. :)