Mount Everest gets 3G network

Communication from the top of the world has got easier with a Nepali telecom firm providing third generation mobile network at the summit of Mount Everest, the world’s tallest mountain. Utpal Parashar reports.

Updated on: Oct 30, 2010, 01:13:57 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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Communication from the top of the world has got easier with a Nepali telecom firm providing third generation (3G) mobile network at the summit of Mount Everest, the world’s tallest mountain.

Officials of Ncell, a subsidiary of Swedish telecom major TeliaSonera told reporters on Thursday that the company has set up a 3G phone base station at Gorakhshep in the Everest region at a height of 5200 metres.

It’s the world’s highest 3G mobile phone base station. TeliaSonera also has the record for setting up the world’s lowest 3G base station at a height of 1400 metres below sea level in a European mine.

The Everest station will have coverage till the summit at 8848 metres and allow thousands of climbers access to high speed internet and video calls using their mobile phones.

It would also enable climbers to keep track of rapidly changing weather patterns in the region.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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