A modeled representation of estimated radio coverage is displayed in the Modeled Coverage Planner. The model is calculated based on inputs of estimated signal strengths, antenna directionality, radio placement, and physical environmental information (e.g., surrounding buildings and landscapes). The Coverage Map and Planner are intended to estimate coverage, and are not a guarantee that the hotspot or radio will generate the modeled coverage displayed.

Only radios that met Proof-of-Coverage requirements for the last 24-hour reward period are displayed on the Coverage Map.

There are two views available - Coverage Map, and Planner.

The Coverage Map view displays the modeled coverage for CPI-approved radios in blue color and Boosted Locations in purple. You can turn Modeled Coverage and Boosted Locations overlays on/off using the toggle.

The Planner view allows you to preview potential coverage based on your input parameters for hypothetical radio placement before a CPI request submission. This preview enables you to identify the optimal parameters for installation without going through the full installation process.

Boosted Locations overlay shows areas that are anticipated to have higher data usage by Helium Mobile subscribers. Deployments in these locations may be eligible to earn extra rewards in addition to Data Transfer and participation in Proof-of-Coverage.

Estimated coverage points are the total amount of estimated coverage points a radio can potentially accumulate if it provides the modeled coverage in a given area. HIP74 outlines how many estimated coverage points a radio can earn based on different signal strength levels. You can read more here.

Currently, modeled coverage is not implemented in the Mobile PoC algorithm for the Helium Mobile Network. This means that modeled coverage does not currently impact MOBILE earnings. Estimated coverage points are displayed for information purposes only to allow builders to evaluate locations for future installation and the quality of existing deployments on the Network. These models allow deployers to adjust and improve their installations before modeled coverage affects the MOBILE rewards. HIP74 describes in detail how modeled coverage points will affect the MOBILE rewards.

Heartbeats and speed tests will have an additional impact on the resulting MOBILE rewards. For a full description of Mobile PoC you can checkout the Helium Foundation dev docs.

Estimated coverage points are calculated based on the signal strength of all radios providing coverage to a hex. Radios with the strongest signal level in the hex split the modeled coverage points equally for providing coverage in a given hex. Currently, the calculation implemented in the Coverage Map does not follow all the nuances outlined in HIP74, like the five radio limit.

A single radio can cover multiple hexes and earn points for each, depending on the signal strength and presence of coverage by other radios. Indoor and outdoor radios earn different amounts of estimated coverage points for the same signal strength. You can find more explanation here.

This is the total number of estimated coverage points that can be potentially collected by all radios that are CPI-approved on the Helium Mobile Network. The same limitations apply to the calculation as described in “How are estimated coverage points calculated in the Coverage Map view?”

In the Planner view, the estimated coverage points calculation does not consider signals of other radios covering the same hexes as your planned installation.

Similarly, the calculation doesn’t consider the five radio limit.

Once modeled coverage is implemented in PoC algorithm, your estimated coverage points might differ from the estimated coverage points currently displayed in the Coverage Map and Planner views. Estimated coverage points in the Coverage Map and Planner are not representative of actual earnings.

Changes to physical environment information (e.g., landscape, surrounding buildings, etc), and information about seasonality affect modeled signal propagation. You may see that planned coverage for the exact same setup may differ if submitted months or even days apart, depending on the frequency of the backend updates.

Boosted Locations are clusters of hexes — small areas about size of a single-family lot. These locations have been identified by Helium Mobile as areas where high data traffic is anticipated. By deploying mobile equipment in Boosted Locations, people-built coverage is available for Helium Mobile subscribers where it’s needed the most.

By providing medium or high signal level coverage in the boosted hexes, deployers may be eligible to receive additional to Proof-of-Coverage and Data Transfer rewards.

Boosted Locations remain active for a minimum of six months from when they become active.

You can read more about Location Boosting in HIP 84, approved by the Helium community on June 9, 2023. Please note, that full implementation of HIP84 will happen iteratively in phases. The current implementation is called Phase 1 and is a simplified version of HIP84. Key differences from full implementation of HIP84:

Note that on average, outdoor CBRS radio can cover about 100 hexes, indoor CBRS - 7, and indoor Wi-Fi - 1 hex.

Boost level is a multiplier that is used to calculate additional PoC and Data Transfer rewards for providing coverage in the boosted hex. For example, if Wi-Fi Indoor radio provides high signal level coverage in the boosted hex with multiplier 100x, it may be eligible to receive 1000x100=100,000 MOBILE. There is currently no limit on the number of radios that are eligible to receive boosted hex rewards for providing coverage in a given hex.

Please note that rewards are not guaranteed. Rewards are subject to HIP53, HIP74, HIP84, and HIP93.

Hardware Hint is a recommendation by Helium Mobile regrading the type of Mobile equipment that’s most suitable for a given Boosted Location, and placement details for that particular location. The following suggestion may help maximize and/or improve deployment coverage. Please note that you might be able to achieve similar coverage with other types of equipment. For example, you can provide useful coverage for the outdoor sitting area of a coffee shop with either indoor Helium Mobile hotspots installed close to windows inside the coffee shop, or by deploying an outdoor CBRS radio across the street, aiming at the sitting area.

To test outdoor equipment placement options and optimize for the best coverage for location, please use Planner view.

If more than 24 hours has passed since your radios have been CPI approved and you still don’t see it in the Coverage Map view, please open a support ticket.

Additionally, please make sure you are meeting all Proof-of-Coverage (PoC) requirements. For a full description of Mobile PoC you can checkout the Helium Foundation dev docs.

Only radios that met the PoC requirements for the past Reward Period are displayed on the Coverage Map.

If you think your estimated coverage coverage points are incorrect in the Coverage Map view, please consider the signal strength of other radios that provide coverage in the hexes that your radio covers. Please open a support ticket if you suspect an issue with calculation and we will try to provide any additional information available to us to help resolve your inquiry. Please note, however, all rewards, when and if they are issued, are issued programmatically from the Helium Network. Helium Mobile does not issue or guarantee any rewards and is not responsible for any unissued rewards.

Please see the question, “How are estimated coverage points different in Planner vs. Coverage Map view?”

Please contact support to add your equipment and guidance on which is the closest antenna model from the list you can use.