World’s highest mobile phone base station
The world’s highest mobile phone base station has been tested and is working. It is on Mount Everest, at an altitude of 6,500 meters. The station, run by China Mobile, will provide services for mountaineers on the world’s highest peak and the torch relay for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
Last week , a worker called the mobile phone of Wang Jianzhou, general manager of China Mobile, via the station and according to a company source the conversation was clear.
The station’s construction was ‘incredibly difficult’ as the oxygen level at the site was only 38% of the amount at ground level.
Immediately after the call, workers packed away the equipment for the winter, owing to the fact it gets quite chilly as in minus 50 degrees Celsius.
Next May the components will be assembled again before the Olympic torch relay passes through the area.
Building the station was an amazing feat. Porters and yaks transported equipment and material to the station starting October 25 and continuing for more than 20 days.
Five engineers, with the help of three professional mountaineers, climbed to the site and installed equipment in two days.
An official with Tibet Mobile, the Tibetan subsidiary of China Mobile said they would base the station’s operation period (when it is warm enough to work it) on the needs of mountaineers and scientific surveys. The new station means that the mobile phone service covers the entire climbing route. Totally, jaw-droppingly amazing.
Tags: China-Mobile