Helium Partners with Movistar to Reach 2.3M New Subscribers in Mexico

In a tremendous step forward for Solana DePIN, Helium has announced a strategic partnership with Movistar, one of Mexico’s largest telecommunications providers.

With over 300 additional Mexico-based sites, the Helium Network will enable over 2.3M Movistar Mexico subscribers to access and contribute to the world’s fastest growing decentralized mobile network.

As part of the collaboration, Helium Network hotspots will be distributed in Movistar retail stores, boosting the DePIN providers credibility in Latin American markets. Movistar will also be able to resell Helium Network coverage to other local MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators).

Helium Expands into Latin America After Successful Pilot

After spreading like wildfire across the United States, Helium Network begins global expansion in Latin America. In 2024, Helium and Movistar operated a pilot program in Mexico City and Oaxaca facilitating mobile data offloading.

On top of expanding Helium Network’s reach and adoption the pilot also enabled Movistar to reduce operating costs. This allowed the collaboration to deliver more affordable and efficient mobile internet access to millions of Movistar subscribers across the country.

“Helium is on a mission to make connectivity more affordable for the masses. Collaborating with Movistar amplifies our vision of decentralized connectivity, inviting millions of their subscribers to use the Helium Network.” - Mario Di Dio, GM of Network at Helium

The Helium X Movistar pilot was a resounding success. Demonstrating the transformative power of DePIN, Movistar subscribers offloaded a daily average of 390 MB to the Helium Network and sustained roughly one hour of daily connection time—all while network contributors earned crypto rewards.

Helium Hotspot Installations in Oaxaca, Mexico

Leveraging DePIN technology Helium and Movistar are disrupting the traditional telco monopoly and providing a more egalitarian approach to mobile data network accessibility. As opposed to centralized coverage towers, Helium’s DePIN model empowers individuals to operate their own network hotspot and generate revenue by transferring subscriber data. 

“At Telefónica Movistar México, we are focused on working under an alliances model that allows technological deployment acceleration and better quality for users, while generating efficiencies. We’re seeing what’s possible and exploring how a network powered by people can bring more value to Telefónica and our subscribers across Mexico. This partnership will be a milestone in reshaping connectivity, with Mexico leading the charge,” - Camilo Aya Caro, President & CEO of Telefónica Movistar México.

As one of Latin America’s biggest telco providers, Movistar's embrace of this people-powered model illustrates DePIN’s efficiency and places Mexico as a pioneer of cutting-edge technology in the region.

According to Helium World, the network now boasts over 60,000 mobile hotspots across the U.S. and Mexico, with over 382,000 users benefitting from carrier offloading. Helium Network’s daily data transfer has exploded in recent months, enjoying 10,202% QoQ growth in Q4 2024 and continuing to rise. Today, Helium network averages over 21TB of data transfer per day.

Hotspots have also been deployed in Panama and Brazil, suggesting Helium is eyeing further expansion in these areas in its mission to bring decentralized internet to the world.

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