Mount Everest Gets 3G Service
Mt. Everest
Editors Note: Isn’t technology great? Pretty soon there will be nowhere on earth one can go undetected.
By: Chloe Albanesius
Of all the places to get away from the connected world, you would think that Mount Everest would be a pretty good bet. That’s about to change, however, with the announcement that wireless provider Ncell has successfully launched 3G services in the Mount Everest area.
This, of course, is not just so adventure seekers can live-tweet their ascent to the top of Everest. The 3G roll out will also provide residents in the area with much-needed access to advanced telecom services. By the end of 2011, Ncell will provide mobile coverage to more than 90 percent of the people in Nepal, according to TeliaSonera, which owns Ncell.
The company’s 3G base station is located at an altitude of about 17,000 feet and is the highest in the world, TeliaSonera said. It will enable locals, climbers, and trekkers to surf the Web, send video clips and e-mails, and make calls at rates cheaper than satellite phones.
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