# Location owner

Location Owners help grow the Dabba Network by providing physical spaces where hotspots can be installed.

This could include:

* Shops
* Rooftops
* Apartment buildings
* Commercial spaces
* Public venues

By hosting Dabba infrastructure, Location Owners help expand coverage and enable internet access in new areas.

### How Location Owners Earn

Location Owners earn DBT every reward epoch (for example, monthly) if:

* At least one active hotspot is deployed at their location
* The hotspot is online and compliant
* The location passes protocol verification checks

Rewards are distributed in two phases.

### Year 1: Equal Rewards (Bootstrap Phase)

During the first year of the network:

* 100% of rewards are distributed equally
* Every eligible location earns the same amount
* Usage does not affect rewards

This phase is designed to encourage rapid network expansion and onboarding of new locations.

If your location is active and compliant, you earn.

### Year 2 and Beyond: Performance-Based Rewards

Starting in Year 2, rewards shift to a hybrid model:

1. A baseline reward (equal for all eligible locations)
2. A performance reward (based on usage and contribution)

Your total reward depends on:

* The coverage your location enables
* The amount of internet traffic passing through your location’s hotspots

Locations that support higher traffic and stronger coverage earn more.

### What Impacts Your Earnings

Your earnings increase when:

* Your hotspot remains online consistently
* More users connect through your location
* Your site improves network reach
* Uptime and service quality remain high

Your earnings decrease if:

* Your hotspot goes offline
* Performance data is not reported correctly
* The location fails compliance checks

### Important Notes

* Rewards are distributed in DBT.
* Calculations are performed every epoch and settled on-chain.
* Inactive or non-compliant locations earn nothing for that epoch.

### Why This Structure Exists

Year 1 focuses on expanding coverage quickly.

Year 2 onward rewards real usage and network value.

This ensures the network grows first, then optimizes for efficiency and adoption.

By hosting a hotspot, Location Owners directly participate in building decentralized broadband infrastructure and earn DBT as the network grows.