FAQ - Build On Network

I want to use the Helium Network for my IoT project. How do I learn more?

Thanks for your interest! Join the community Discord server as there are several channels dedicated to development. There’s also extensive documentation on using the Network.

Can end devices communicate directly with each other or do they have to hop over the Helium Hotspot?

All compatible devices communicate via Hotspots. There is no direct communication or meshing in the Helium Network.

Will Helium be proprietary?

We believe proprietary protocols and technologies stifle innovation. This is why we use commodity, open-standard hardware, and modules available from dozens of vendors. And all software used is open source under friendly licenses.

Which frequencies does the Helium Hotspot use? Are you evaluating other frequencies in different countries?

Hotspots create LoRaWAN coverage with sub-GHz unlicensed spectrum that varies country by country. You can view the frequency used per country here.

What kind of data rates do you anticipate going from device to the hotspot?

Applications that are suitable for the Helium Network send small amounts of data. The maximum amount possible is around 5kbits per second. But this is rarely seen in production. Typically sensors are sending 10-1000 bytes at a time.