Frank Mong, the Chief Operating Officer of Nova Labs, stated that decentralized telecom networks bring financial benefits to small businesses and telecom companies. Nova Labs is the founding team of the Helium wireless decentralized physical infrastructure network.
At the 2025 Consensus Conference held in Toronto, Canada, Mong was interviewed by Cointelegraph. He pointed out that small businesses such as bars, restaurants, and convenience stores can generate revenue by hosting wireless hotspots and expanding network coverage.
Large telecom companies can also leverage the telemetry capabilities of the Helium network to reduce operational costs and expand coverage in dead zones.
Mong told Cointelegraph: "Building a telecom tower costs about $300,000, and effective operation of 5G requires a tower in every area." He added:
"What if we didn't have to do this and raise package prices, if everyone shared useful Wi-Fi networks and allowed large companies like AT&T to view network telemetry data?"
Decentralized physical infrastructure networks demonstrate how blockchain technology can provide value in the real world, making existing infrastructure more resilient against disruptions, lockdowns, and failures.
Helium partners with telecom companies
In January 2024, Nova Labs announced a partnership with Latin American telecom company Telefónica, aimed at expanding coverage in dead zones and reducing network congestion.
In April 2025, Helium partnered with global telecom giant AT&T to allow AT&T users to automatically access mobile hotspots within the Helium network coverage.
Helium network data shows that the United States currently has the highest concentration of 95,272 mobile hotspots. Additionally, Helium has 284,053 active IoT hotspots worldwide.
"Ultimately, what we are doing in the United States and Mexico should be globalized," Mong told Cointelegraph.
Currently, Nova Labs is focused on expanding coverage by partnering with telecommunications infrastructure providers in new regions.
