Approximately 14 years ago today, Laszlo Hanyecz posted on bitcointalk.org, offering 10,000 bitcoins for “a couple of pizzas.” However, most people are not aware that it took him four days to finalize the transaction, which is now worth 0 million. The Famous Bitcoin for Pizza Offer That Took 4 Days to Complete In May 2010, […]
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Bitcoin Miner Bitfarms Enhances Paraguay Facility With New 100 MW Hydropower Deal
On Tuesday, bitcoin mining company Bitfarms, listed on the Nasdaq and Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX), announced it has secured an additional 100 megawatts (MW) of power from Paraguay’s state-owned utility firm, ANDE. The 100 MW is anticipated to double the capacity of the hydro-powered Yguazu site and should be fully operational by 2025. Bitfarms to […]
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South African Fintech Startup Leseka Tech Signs Deal to Buy Payments Provider for $86M
Lesaka Technologies, a fintech startup based in South Africa, recently signed a deal to acquire Adumo, a payment solutions provider, for nearly million. Under the terms of the agreement, Lesaka Technologies will pay Adumo .5 million in cash. The funds will be sourced both internally and from external financiers. Lesaka Technologies to Issue Shares […]
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Arkon Energy Strikes Deal With Bitmain for 27,700 Bitcoin Mining Rigs
On Tuesday, the Ohio-based bitcoin mining and colocation company Arkon Energy announced its procurement of 27,700 bitcoin mining rigs from Bitmain, equaling a hashpower of 6 exahash per second (EH/s). Ohio’s Arkon Expands Mining Fleet With 6 EH/S Boost From Bitmain Arkon Energy has revealed its acquisition of 27,700 bitcoin application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) mining […]
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Solana Announces Recommendations and Measures to Deal With Network Congestion
The Solana Foundation has announced several recommendations that developers should follow to cope with the high usage that the network is currently experiencing. The foundation recommended implementing priority fees, and a series of optimizations to avoid dropping transactions. Also, an improved transaction scheduler is expected to be included in the next update. Solana Foundation Makes […]
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Digihost Secures Hosting Deal for 4,640 S19 XPs With Leading Bitcoin Miner Manufacturer
Digihost Technology Inc., a blockchain technology and mining enterprise based in the U.S., revealed a significant augmentation of its bitcoin mining capabilities, courtesy of a multi-year hosting contract with a “leading” global provider of digital currency mining equipment. Digihost Expands Mining Fleet Under Newly Inked Multi-Year Hosting Deal Digihost (Nasdaq: DGHI; TSXV: DGHI) said the […]
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US District Judge Sanctions Binance’s $4.3 Billion Plea Deal
Binance Holdings is set to pay .3 billion in fines following the approval of its plea agreement with prosecutors by U.S. District Judge Richard Jones on Friday. Beyond the financial settlement, a third party will oversee Binance’s operations for a duration of five years. Historic .3 Billion Binance Settlement Approved by Seattle Judge Binance, the […]
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US Judge Urged to Approve Binance’s $4.3 Billion Plea Deal
A U.S. Federal Judge has been urged to accept a plea deal from U.S. authorities with the cryptocurrency exchange, Binance. Prosecutors, in a memorandum, have asserted that the agreed-upon sanctions are commensurate with the extent of Binance’s deliberate law violations. Binance’s Alleged Refusal to Register as a Money Services Business U.S. prosecutors have reportedly urged […]
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Bitcoin Miner Iris Energy Inks AI Cloud Services Deal With Poolside AI
The bitcoin mining corporation Iris Energy, listed on the Nasdaq, has declared its entry into a cloud services partnership with the artificial intelligence (AI) startup Poolside AI. The collaboration with Poolside comes after Iris acquired 248 Nvidia H100 graphics processing units (GPUs) for million in August 2023. Iris Energy Partners With Poolside AI On […]
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Helium (HNT) Heats Up: 21% Jump After Telefónica Deal Ignites Growth
In a landmark move, Telefonica, the world’s 27th largest telecom, has partnered with Nova Labs to roll out Helium mobile hotspots in Mexico. This initiative aims to address the persistent issue of limited internet access in underserved communities, leveraging a unique blockchain-powered network.
Helium’s Mexico Expansion Sparks Crypto Surge
The collaboration will see thousands of Helium hotspots deployed across Mexico City and Oaxaca, powered by Nova Labs’ blockchain technology. This technology incentivizes individuals to host hotspots by rewarding them with Helium’s cryptocurrency, HNT, for contributing to coverage. This “proof-of-coverage” concept aims to build a decentralized network with potentially lower infrastructure costs compared to traditional methods.
The news sent ripples through the cryptocurrency market, propelling HNT’s price up over 20%. This follows a similar surge in December when Helium partnered with T-Mobile for nationwide mobile service in the US.
“This program in Mexico is crucial for evaluating the performance and customer satisfaction of this solution,” said José Juan Haro, Telefonica’s Chief Wholesale and Public Affairs Officer. He sees it as a key step towards bridging the digital divide and unlocking new possibilities for individuals and businesses in remote areas.
The collaboration isn’t without its challenges. Scaling up the network and convincing users to switch to Helium connections will require careful planning and clear value propositions. Additionally, decentralized networks can face issues with coverage consistency and data speeds compared to centralized infrastructure.
“We are delighted to partner with Telefonica to integrate our Helium Mobile Hotspot technology and expand coverage for their customers. Alongside Telefónica, Nova Labs has solved one of the biggest challenges for telecoms and pioneered a solution that supports secure data offload that can be implemented around the world,” Amir Haleem, CEO of Nova Labs, said.
Telefonica Boosts Helium Initiative Credibility
Telefonica’s involvement adds significant weight to this initiative. Its market reach and brand recognition can bolster Helium’s credibility and drive adoption. The partnership is built on an open standard developed by the Telecom Infra Project, allowing select Movistar customers to seamlessly access the Helium network using their existing SIM cards.
While the long-term success of this venture remains to be seen, it represents a bold step towards a future where blockchain technology fuels innovative solutions for bridging the digital divide. Its success could pave the way for similar initiatives in other developing regions, offering an alternative model for network deployment and democratizing access to the internet for all.
This story is still unfolding, and its potential impact on both the telecommunications landscape and the wider blockchain ecosystem remains to be fully realized.
Featured image from iStock, chart from TradingView