Decentralized networking is a bit of a misnomer because, by definition, networks must be decentralized in order to be networks. The concept is not about how the network is built, but rather how it’s controlled. It’s simple in concept but is extremely difficult to implement. Decentralized networks are radically changing our lives.
Blockchain gives us a way of tracking things like we have never been able to do. It creates new ways of doing business, offering services, and interacting. We can automate tasks that would have been impossible to do before.
We are using decentralized networking to create automated infrastructure ownership networks. In a decentralized network, each individual owner participates in a cooperative and competitive way governed by the rules of the network. This can be used to create communications networks more efficiently than ever before. The Helium Network is just such a network for IoT and soon to be 5G. We think this network can be extended beyond just the radio and become the controlling aspect of physical infrastructure. By linking together the installer, manufacturer, insurer, and maintainer, physical infrastructure or assets can be installed and operated in fundamentally the same way that you would hail an Uber.
The goal is to create new ways of building and operating communications networks that are as efficient as monopolies but as agile as startups. This is done using the immutable aspects of the blockchain with community driven operational policy that runs the infrastructure network.