According to Decrypt, Helium Mobile, a wireless phone service built on the decentralized, crypto-powered Helium network, has been named the Official Wireless Sponsor of University of Miami Athletics. The partnership will see Helium Mobile hosting promotions and fan experiences at Miami Hurricanes home games across various sports, with further deals for students yet to be announced. The sponsorship will begin at the Miami vs. Notre Dame men's basketball game on December 2 and will last for the remainder of the 2023-24 collegiate season. Although financial details were not disclosed, a Helium Mobile representative confirmed it was a six-figure deal.
In August, Helium Mobile introduced a $5 per month unlimited phone plan in Miami, utilizing its network of hotspots operated by users who earn crypto tokens for participating in the network. The service is also supported by T-Mobile's nationwide 5G coverage when users are not within range of a hotspot. Helium is a decentralized network that rewards users with crypto tokens for running wireless nodes. Originally on its own blockchain, Helium migrated to Solana earlier this year following a community vote in 2022. Nova Labs, the startup that includes the original creators of Helium, built the Helium Mobile service on top of the network and signed a deal with T-Mobile to provide nationwide connectivity across the United States.