About

Dabba Network is a decentralized wireless internet service initiative focused on expanding connectivity in India. It coordinates multiple stakeholders, including independent backhaul providers and local cable operators, to deliver internet access. The network uses a marketplace model to match supply with consumer demand, aiming to provide fast and reliable internet. It compensates participants with Dabba Tokens (DBT), a digital currency designed to incentivize involvement from small-scale providers.

History

Dabba Network began in 2016 as an experiment by entrepreneurs Karam Lakshman and Shubhendu Sharma. Frustrated by poor connectivity at their favorite tea shop in Bengaluru, India, they set up a Raspberry Pi-powered hotspot at the location. The unsecured network quickly attracted locals, turning the shop into a community WiFi hub. Recognizing this demand, they founded WiFi Dabba Inc. (Dabba) and began deploying routers across the city.

Throughout the following years, the company scaled its operations across India by deploying hundreds of hotspots in key areas. To fuel further growth, the team started exploring new funding models and pivoted to a Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network (DePIN) model.

In November 2023, the transition began with the launch of Dabba Lite hotspot. With this release, global investors can purchase the hotspots and lease them to local network operators, who then deploy them in underserved regions. In return, owners will soon be able to earn DBT token rewards based on data consumption. During the initial rollout, over 1,000 hotspots were reserved globally for deployment in India. By May 2024, a second expansion phase introduced 10,000 additional hotspots for purchase, which have all sold out as of Q1 2025.

By November 2025, Dabba Network has deployed close to 30,000 hotspots serving over 133,000 connected devices.