Our FAQs

Hotspots, in contrast to the usual LoRaWAN gateways of the manufacturers, have special software that is provided by Helium and installed by the manufacturer. The additional costs of the hotspots are due to the fees for this software and the effort required by the manufacturers to install the software.

LoRaWAN is not a plug & play technology yet. We will provide instructions in the future on how to get your sensors up and running. Are you interested in a specific sensor that you want to use in the Helium network in the future or are you looking for answers to another LoRaWAN topic? Then write us your suggestions via our contact field! These will of course be taken into account for the selection of tutorials and content articles. 

No, we do not accept pre-orders, as soon as Helium Hotspots are on site and therefore available, we will inform you via our newsletter. So sign up to our newsletter list above now!

No, Helium Hotspots have at least one other firmware and possibly other adaptations. If you want a helium hotspot, buy a helium hotspot and not a normal LoRaWAN gateway.

Yes, in future you will be able to buy helium hotspots from Kerlink. Subscribe to the newsletter today and be one of the first to hear about available Helium Hotspots!

We currently only offer Helium "Full" Hotspots. These participate fully in data transfer and proof-of-coverage and follow the Helium Blockchain ledger. As a result, there are relatively high hardware requirements, especially in terms of storage capacity.

Helium "Light" hotspots, on the other hand, are currently still being planned and require extensive modifications to the structure of the Helium network. Basically, Helium "Light" hotspots are no less valuable than Helium "Full" hotspots, so they participate fully in all rewards, only they no longer follow the entire blockchain, but only individual transactions, which they have verified via so-called validators (these are several thousand decentrally distributed high-performance computers).

Helium "Data Only" hotspots only forward packets from sensors (via the Helium network), but otherwise do not participate in the proof-of-coverage, do not follow the blockchain and therefore earn virtually no rewards. "Data Only" hotspots are suitable for indoor redensification, for example. They only earn the equivalent of the data credits consumed by the sensors (1 DC is equal to USD 0.00001 per 24 bytes), so these are very small amounts.

A date for the changeover has not yet been announced. On the same day that Helium "Light" Hotspots go online, all existing Helium "Full" Hotspots will receive an OTA (Over-The-Air) update and continue to run just as well as before. They will then also become Helium "Light" Hotspots. From this day on, all Helium Hotspots will run on the same software again and there will no longer be any distinction. The changeover is being made with the aim of strengthening the network structure and preparing it for the rapidly increasing number of devices.

This saves storage space and computing power on the individual hotspots and is more or less the next expansion stage of the Helium network. Furthermore, it will no longer be necessary to open port 44158. This has many advantages, especially in the case of a connection via the mobile network, since direct accessibility via a public IPv4 has not been available there very often up to now. The problem of "relayed" hotspots will be eliminated.

A significant part of the construction costs for the hotspots remains the same. It is therefore not expected that Helium "Light" hotspots will be offered at a significantly lower price. Because of the lower requirements, the new hotspots will cost perhaps 50 - 100 euros less. A good location can recoup this difference after a few days. So waiting is worthwhile in very few cases.

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