Telefónica, the world’s largest telecom company, will use blockchain to reduce infrastructure costs and expand mobile coverage in Mexico.
Telefónica, a leading provider of telecommunications services, partnered with blockchain company Nova Labs to introduce Helium Mobile Hotspots, a distributed ledger technology (DLT) solution that will expand mobile coverage in Mexico City and Oaxaca for Movistar customers.
The solution is powered by the OpenWifi standard developed by the Telecom Infra Project (TIP), a community of telecom companies working on technical solutions for high quality connectivity. By integrating blockchain, selected Movistar customers in Mexico will have access to high-speed internet and connectivity by authenticating using SIM cards.
According to José Juan Haro, Chief Wholesale and Public Affairs Officer at Telefónica, Helium Mobile Hotspots will lower telecom infrastructure costs and capital and operational expenses. At the same time, blockchain will allow the company to minimize its environmental footprint. In addition, the solution will improve mobile coverage in the region in the future.
Amir Haleem, CEO of Nova Labs, says that Helium Mobile Hotspot will help solve one of the most pressing problems of telecommunications, i.e. fast and secure data transfer without the need to increase the cost of service for end users.
The capabilities of blockchain technologies are actively used in various sectors. A DLT system was integrated into the Brazilian energy sector, Armenian historians use blockchain to preserve cultural heritage, and NASA plans to ensure the safety and reliability of space expedition data via decentralized systems.
