Self-financing mesh nets

A generation ago, Wi-Fi promised to blanket the planet with open access points for public internet access. But the challenges of securing and standardizing authentication gave rise to a complicated quiltwork of networks instead. Going forward, new efforts to roll out large scale, decentralized wireless networks operating "sub-GHz unlicensed spectrum (beneath the GSMA licensed spectrum of 3G, 4G and 5G)" hope to take advantage of blockchain to create a more robust, universal, trusted framework for coordinating access across constellations of privately-operated access points. The leader in this space, Helium, which brands itself as “The People’s Network” uses an open-source solution allowing people to put up new radio nodes using compliant hardware made by anyone, and provide access in return for small micropayments in cyrptocurrency. Communications are encrypted, protecting both users and operators. The service has spread quickly, and points towards a new model for and open Internet of things, built upon open standards and decentralized coordination, and directly challenging the role of telecommunications operators.