Helium Mobile, a project of Helium developer Nova Labs, is announcing a partnership with Solana Mobile. The collaboration between the popular blockchain networks will bring Helium’s mobile 5G network to Solana’s recently released Android phone, the Saga. solana mobile smartphone

The Saga is a major step for blockchain technology expansion. Unveiled in June, the phone uses the Solana layer-1 blockchain to connect users with Web 3.0 dapps and trade crypto and non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Helium Mobile will be adding to this first-of-its-kind technology by connecting Saga phones to its decentralized 5G network.

Using Helium 5G, Saga users will be able to connect to the internet from 6,300 active hotspot cells across the U.S. These cells, deployed and operated by other Helium users, will generate token rewards for owners each time a Saga user connects their phone to their hot spots. The program will provide Saga users with free 30-day trials of the network when the partnership takes effect.

Users can preorder the Saga on the Solana Mobile website for a $100 down payment. The phones are expected to ship in early 2023 when the partnership with Helium will officially begin.

Helium Network Continues Building Partnerships With Solana Mobile Deal solana mobile smartphone

The Solana Mobile collaboration is a big moment for the Helium Network. Originally a project meant to connect less robust internet-of-things (IoT) devices, the Helium Mobile network and Nova Labs’ 5G ventures mark a major growth spurt for the company. It also adds to quite an eventful year for Nova Labs.

Announced in September, Helium Mobile is the first crypto-fueled wireless carrier, created in partnership with major wireless service T-Mobile. Helium Mobile pulls its coverage both from the decentralized Helium 5G network—with users running their own 5G nodes to share coverage in exchange for crypto tokens—and T-Mobile’s nationwide 5G service.

Helium’s 5G network currently spans just over 6,700 antennas deployed by individual users. It’s worth noting that Helium’s developers have clarified that while the network is capable of supporting 5G radios, the early devices available on the market are limited to slower 4G LTE.

Nova Labs has said that Helium Mobile will offer plans as cheap as $5 per month. Furthermore, users can opt into earning crypto tokens by sharing location data with the network, as they’ll help Helium Mobile stabilize its coverage in the process.

Solana’s Saga smartphone was revealed in June and delivers high-end Android hardware at a price point of $1,000. It’s built around the Solana Mobile Stack, a software bundle that enables improved mobile Web3 apps, and the phone can be used for crypto payments, as an NFT wallet, and more. Pre-orders are open now ahead of the early 2023 launch.

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