When traditional cell phone companies offload data, they redirect their subscribers’ connectivity to another cellular network. Offloading data is a way for carriers to fill in gaps in their coverage network and reduce the amount they need to invest in their own infrastructure.

The Helium Network is pioneering decentralization in telecommunications. When Carrier Offload Beta is enabled, subscribers from non-Helium Mobile carriers can connect and transfer data through your Helium Mobile Hotspot. Note that Carrier Offload data transfer is unrewarded during the Carrier Offload Beta period and the carriers accessing your Helium Mobile Hotspot will be kept anonymous. With successful beta periods, data offloaded by carriers will be rewarded.

You can learn more about the ongoing beta periods on our Stats Page.

Our team is focused on expanding Helium Network coverage and keeping data costs low for our subscribers:

Carriers can experience how Helium Mobile Hotspots help them solve their coverage gaps through beta phases on the network. By having more Helium Mobile Hotspots opted in, carriers can have a more comprehensive perspective of what the Helium Network provides. With successful beta phases, this opens up the Helium Network to rewardable data from non-Helium Mobile subscribers.

Ultimately, by having traditional carriers/phone companies embracing and enabling people-built coverage as a growth solution, decentralized infrastructure can become an industry standard.

Data transferred during a Carrier Offload Beta is unrewarded.

You can opt out of participating in Carrier Offload Betas in the Builder App or Hotspot Dashboard.

Hotspots that are selected to participate in a Carrier Offload Beta are at the discretion of the carrier based on locations of interest or demonstrated utility, so even if your equipment is eligible to participate, it may not be selected.

At this time only Wi-Fi Hotspots on the Helium Network, regardless of manufacture, are eligible to participate in a Carrier Offload Beta.