Launching the Decentralized Wireless Alliance
A global not-for-profit dedicated to the proliferation of a secure, cost-effective Internet of Things.
Today I am pleased to announce the launch of the Decentralized Wireless Alliance, a new stakeholder in the Helium ecosystem.
The Decentralized Wireless Alliance was created to serve one singular purpose: connect the world’s devices. The members of the Decentralized Wireless Alliance will work tirelessly to build a future in which there is permissionless, ubiquitous, cost-effective wireless connectivity for all humans and machines.
Billions of sensors powering smart cities — and a smart planet — will be connected to the internet. We believe that in the future, everything that can be connected to the internet is connected to the internet. We believe connectivity should be implied by default, not as an afterthought or optional add-on.
The Helium Protocol is an open-source project that incentivizes people all over the world to deploy and manage wireless networks that connect people and machines to the internet. For example, the LongFi Network is an IoT network built on top of the Helium Protocol using LoRaWAN technology. In less than a year, thousands of people have deployed more than 3,000 hotspots around the United States to provide LongFi coverage through an open, permissionless network for all.
While LongFi is the first wireless network using the Helium Protocol, it certainly won’t be the last. We imagine a future in which there are many wireless networks powered by the Helium Protocol, each optimized for different devices, purposes, or applications. As the Helium ecosystem grows, we expect stakeholders to facilitate the creation of entirely new wireless networks and use cases for connectivity.
Like the internet protocols before it, Helium is a protocol not owned by any one company or government, but managed by and for the benefit of the world at large. It was designed to be open from day one, and has to be open in order to achieve its full potential and fulfill its mission. Because of this, the Decentralized Wireless Alliance is not your typical company or non-profit. Instead, it was created in the image of the Ethereum Foundation and the Zcash Foundation. Our role is not to control or lead the development of the Helium Protocol, only to contribute to it. We are a part of a larger ecosystem including many stakeholders who all contribute to and govern the network collectively.
Over the course of the months and years ahead, we will communicate our actions and initiatives to the community primarily through our website and our blog. Stay tuned for more exciting updates coming soon.
