HIP 70: Scaling the Helium Network

• Author(s): Helium Core Developers
• Start Date: 2022-08-30
• Category: Technical
• Original HIP PR: Adds offchain/scaling HIP #470
• Tracking Issue: this
• Status: In Discussion

Summary

In this HIP, we propose a new approach to Proof-of-Coverage and Data Transfer Accounting by moving this responsibility to oracles and, thereby, reducing the complexity required for operating a blockchain that supports the Helium Network. Through these actions, we believe we can allow for more reliable data transfer and more consistent and predictable Proof-of-Coverage activity.

With the move to more “oracled” activity on chain, we believe that the simplification allows us to select a more scalable Layer 1 for the Helium community, specifically Solana. Integration of the Helium tokens (HNT, DC, IOT, and MOBILE, initially) into the Solana ecosystem additionally provides Helium wallet holders access to a variety of applications, governance mechanisms, and other utilities not available natively on our sovereign L1.

We acknowledge that this change removes the need for staked validators operating block production and challenge creation as they do today. That said, we expect that HNT stakers will migrate their positions towards securing current and/or future subDAOs and participating in governance through the vote-escrow token based system proposed in HIP 51. Removal of the staked validator reward also returns the full 6.85% of HNT emissions back to the miner pool, benefitting Hotspot owners on all subDAOs. In the first year alone, this is estimated to be over 2 million more HNT rewarded for Hotspot activity.

We consider these changes as complementary to the changes proposed in HIP 51 and a necessary set of changes to more easily implement some of the redemption and governance mechanisms proposed in HIPs 51, 52, and 53. We additionally expect that more protocols will be attracted to participate in the Helium ecosystem because of the move to a more widely used Layer 1 blockchain.

Rendered View

https://github.com/helium/HIP/blob/main/0070-scaling-helium.md