Ted Lee's Crypto Page
// decentralization · bitcoin · privacy · radio · Richmond BC

Send Bitcoin

To send Bitcoin to me, use my PayNym address:

PM8TJiWBmv4EiRYq58CvX5NyJTHXDVMYyiF8CzR6dE57ACw9MAjxwhuumcyPDFX8YgUhKTs8tyd9iadaWdVnyWVEY2EjcEquSDkdSq4WcC9LNvZ1az28

⚑ Changed November 2025 to use PayNym for enhanced privacy

Lightning Donations (L2 Bitcoin)

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Helium Network — The People's Wireless

I operate a Helium IoT hotspot in Richmond, BC on the 915 MHz LoRaWAN band. Here's what you need to know about where the network stands in 2026.

📡 What Is It?

Helium is a decentralized wireless network where ordinary people host small radio boxes at home and earn cryptocurrency (HNT) for providing wireless coverage to IoT sensors — flood detectors, asset trackers, temperature monitors, and similar low-bandwidth devices. It's a real-world example of DePIN: Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks.

📉 Network Stats (April 2026)

−76%
IoT hotspot decline from peak
236k
Active IoT hotspots globally
$4–8
Typical monthly earnings (USD)
Jan 2025
HIP 138 — all rewards now in HNT

🔄 What Happened?

🇨🇦 What About Canada?

🍁 Canada NOT in 5G Mobile rollout — US only

Helium Mobile's 5G service is tied to T-Mobile's US network. There is no Canadian roadmap as of April 2026. Canadian IoT hotspot operators can still earn small HNT for Proof-of-Coverage, but meaningful income from the network is largely gone. There was an early IoT roaming deal with Quebec-based X-TELIA, but that's legacy infrastructure, not growth.

🗺️ How to Check Your Hotspot

The original explorer.helium.com was retired. Use these current tools — search by your hotspot's three-word name (e.g., Tall-Blue-Moose):

🌐 explorer.helium.com

Official explorer. Click the green IoT tab → Hotspot Map. Search by name.

📊 heliumgeek.com

Best third-party tool. Rewards, beacon & witness data. Has a mobile app.

🗺️ explorer.moken.io

Community-built map with hotspot details and network stats.

⚖️ Should You Keep It Running?

Verdict: Keep it plugged in — it costs almost nothing to run and still earns a few dollars a month in HNT. But don't invest further time or money into the IoT side. The gold rush is over. Helium remains a fascinating DePIN experiment worth watching, especially if Helium Mobile ever expands north of the border.

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