11/1/2010 3:19:27 PM
IT Comms news: Mount Everest goes 3G
If anyone is planning on climbing Everest, take your Smartphone
with you as the mountain is now 3G enabled - whether said
Smartphone will withstand the freezing temperatures and your
heavily clad fingers will be able to navigate the keypad are
different matters altogether!
Nepalese telecoms firm Ncell has installed eight 3G stations
along the route to Everest Base Camp. To date nutters, sorry
'climbers', have had to rely on expensive satellite phones,
allowing voice-only communications. It is claimed that the 3G
coverage could reach the summit.
The most practical implication of this coverage would be the
access to weather reports and safety information, although I'm sure
that keeping in touch with family and loved ones will be
appreciated almost as much.
Swedish telecoms company TeliaSonera, own Ncell and have pledged
to invest more than £60m in the next year to improve mobile
coverage in a country where less than one third of the population
have access to telecommunication services.
I can't help feeling that a variety of technical and
philosophical questions arise from this intriguing story. But the
biggest must be: Who will be the first to update their twitter
status with, "Believe it or not, at the summit of Mount
Everest. Nice view.”?
Damian Hicklin
IT
Security & Communications Manager
Follow me on Twitter
ARM