The rules of how Wi-Fi Hotspots and CBRS radios get rewarded for overlapping coverage are defined by multiple Helium Improvement Protocols (HIPs).

HIPs are voted on by the Helium Community and are subject to change due to the decentralized nature of the network, which is governed by an active global community of users and deployers.

As of June 12th 2024, the Helium Network protocol is subject to the following rules.

Only one Wi-Fi Indoor Hotspot is eligible to earn Proof-of-Coverage (PoC) rewards for providing coverage in a given location, or “hex”. If multiple Hotspots provide coverage within the same hex, the Hotspot that has been continuously online for the longest period of time is the only one eligible to earn rewards. This rule is called “Coverage Claim Time” (see more detailed explanation below). Rules for Wi-Fi Indoor Hotspots are defined in HIP93.

A maximum of three Wi-Fi Outdoor Hotspots are eligible to receive PoC rewards for providing coverage in a given hex. The three Hotspots within the hex with the highest signal strength that have the longest Coverage Claim Time will be eligible to earn rewards. The Hotspots are ranked based on the signal strength and Coverage Claim Time. Coverage Claim time is used as a tiebreaker in case multiple Hotspots have the same signal strength in a given hex.

For example, a hex is covered by four Wi-Fi outdoor Hotspots:

Hotspot 3 and 4 have the highest signal strength in the hex, but since Hotspot 3 has the longest Coverage Claim Time, it will be ranked A and will get a 1x multiplier for coverage in the hex.

Hotspot 4 will be ranked B and assigned 0.5x multiplier.

Hotspot 1 has signal strength lower than Hotspot 3 and 4 and therefore will be rated C with a reward multiplier of 0.25x.

Hotspot 2 has the lowest signal strength among all the outdoor Hotspots covering the hex, and will be rated D with 0x multiplier for the coverage.

Since CBRS radios and Wi-Fi Hotspots are ranked individually, adding coverage by CBRS radio to a hex with Wi-Fi coverage does not impact coverage points earned by Wi-Fi Hotspots.

Rules for Wi-Fi Outdoor Hotspots are defined in HIP105.

Only one CBRS Indoor radio is eligible to receive PoC rewards for providing coverage in a given hex. Only the radio with the highest signal strength and the longest Coverage Claim Time is eligible to earn rewards.

For example, a hex is covered by three CBRS indoor radios:

Radio 1 and 2 are tied for the highest signal strength in the hex, but since radio 1 has the longer Coverage Claim Time, it will be the only radio to receive rewards for coverage in a given hex.

Since indoor and outdoor CBRS radios are ranked individually, adding coverage by outdoor CBRS radio to a hex with indoor CBRS coverage does not impact coverage points earned by indoor CBRS radios.

For more details and examples, see HIP105.

The same rules that apply to ranking Wi-Fi outdoor Hotspots also apply to ranking CBRS outdoor radios. A maximum of three CBRS outdoor radios are eligible to receive PoC rewards for providing coverage in a given hex. The three radios within the hex with the highest signal strength will be eligible to earn rewards. If multiple radios have equally strong signals, the radio with the longest Coverage Claim Time will be eligible to earn rewards. In other words, the radios are ranked based on their signal strength and then by their Coverage Claim Time. Coverage Claim time is used as a tiebreaker in case multiple radios have the same signal strength in a given hex.

For example, a hex is covered by four CBRS outdoor radios:

Radio 3 and 4 have the highest signal strength in the hex, but since radio 3 has the longer Coverage Claim Time, it will be ranked A and will get a 1x multiplier for coverage in the hex.

Radio 4 will be ranked B and will get a 0.5x multiplier.

Radio 1 has a lower signal strength than radios 3 and 4 and will be rated C and get a reward multiplier of 0.25x.

Radio 2 has the lowest signal strength among all the outdoor radios covering the hex, and will be rated D and get a 0x multiplier.

Rules for CBRS outdoor radios are defined in HIP105.

Note that multipliers for both CBRS and Wi-Fi devices are applied to coverage points in a particular hex, not the entire coverage provided by Hotspot or radio. Outdoor devices may create coverage over multiple hexes. But the devices are ranked on a per hex basis, so any multipliers the device gets will be applied to coverage points for a given hex, and not for the entire coverage area the device creates. For example, Hotspot A covers hex X and hex Y. Hotspot A has the highest signal level in hex X, and will earn a 1x multiplier in hex X. However, hex Y is also covered by Hotspot B, which has the same signal strength but a longer coverage claim time than Hotspot A. Hotspot A will earn only a 0.5x multiplier in hex Y.

Coverage Claim Time indicates the length of time the Hotspot or radio has been continuously online. If the device is offline for more than 72 hours, Coverage Claim Time will be reset. The time when the device goes back online will determine the start of the new period of Coverage Claim Time.

Coverage Claim Time is defined in HIP74. This rule is applicable to CBRS radios and Wi-Fi Hotspots, both indoor and outdoor.

Rules regarding mapping signal strength to signal levels and corresponding coverage points can be found in HIP74 for CBRS radios and HIP93 for Wi-Fi Hotspots.