Data usage on Helium's network is charged by the 24-byte packet, at a price that's equivalent to 2.4MB per $1. For very low data devices, that can come out to much less per year than the NB-IOT networks.
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If you want to get involved with the crazy world of network crypto, be aware that because of the global chip shortage and high demand, there is currently a back order of 150,000 hotspots. But if you’re like me and want to provide network coverage for a burgeoning IoT network — and maybe pick up a bit of cash as everyone dives into cryptocurrencies — I can think of worse ways to spend the roughly $400 it costs to buy a hotspot.
The basin has become a proving ground for the broader debate about the future of blockchain technology. Critics insist that bitcoin will never work as a mainstream currency—it’s slow and far too volatile. Its real function, they say, is as a “store of value”—that is, an investment asset, like gold or company shares—except that, unlike these traditional assets, bitcoin has no real underlying economic value. Rather, critics say, it has become merely another highly speculative bet—much like mortgage-backed derivatives were in the prelude to the financial crisis—and like them, it is just as assured of an implosion.