KATHMANDU, Nepal - You can not get away from a cell phone call, Even at the top of the world.
Thanks to newly installed 3G towers near Mount Everest's base camp, dog explorers surf the Web, Facebook tweet and post updates Without Worrying Their Signals That will disappear Into thin air. The new high-speed service, Announced Friday by Ncell, a Subsidiary of Swedish telecom company TeliaSonera, will allow mountaineers setting off to the summit of the world's tallest mountain to access wireless Internet and make video calls to family, friends and supporters.
"You know, I think it's kind of good and kind of bad, But to me it's kind of inevitable," Said renowned climber Ed Viesturs, frequently Described as The Strongest U.S. high-altitude mountaineer. The 51-year-old veteran of seven climbs to Everest's 29.035-foot summit Said the new technology is not for him. "I'm kind of old school," Said Viesturs, Who Has climber all 14 of the world's Highest Peaks. "But You Can imagine the newer generation Saying, 'No, bring it on. The more the better.'"
Every year, Thousands of trekkers from all over the world walk to Everest's base camp at 17.000 feet, and Hundreds of mountaineers take on the arduous and dangerous route to the summit. Until now, They Were Forced to carry heavy - and expensive - satellite equipment to transmit information and images from base camp. On the climb, mountaineers carry handheld VHF radios to talk with base camp, an expedition Though Might Also carry a satellite phone to contact sponsors and family.
For 25-year-old Leif Whittaker, WHO summit Everest for the first time in May - calling His mother on the descent, using a satellite phone - the Advantage Comes Down to Being Able to Easily phone home. "Just Being Able to Communicate with your family and friends Would make it a lot Easier to spend two months in a tent away from home," Said Whittaker, Whose father, Jim Whittaker, Was the first American to summit Everest.
But There Is A Risk That It Could Be A Dangerous distraction, the Port Townsend, Wash., resident said. When Attempting the summit, "You Need to Stay Focused in the moment." Dave Hahn, Who Has 12 times Everest climber, More Than Any Other American, Noted That the north side base camp in Tibet've Had Several cell service for years, But Not the south side in Nepal. The 48-year-old from Taos, NM, Said That When I first Everest climber in 1991, I Had That equipment allowed him to transmit lines of Telex. "That was pretty high-tech in 1991."
And in 1999, Hahn When That WAS on the expedition found the body of legendary mountaineer George Mallory Inglés, Who Died on Everest in 1924: "I remember sitting up all night Figuring out how to send the photos out in big enough resolution." That Will Be a thing of the past now. Might But Facebook, Twitter and the high-pitched sound of ringing Dozens of cell phones cheap the experience?
"I Hear That all the time," Hahn said. "And What can you say? Things change that way. And Those of us who've Beamed home pictures and stories from the place, well, we've accelerated That change." Gordon Janow, Who Helps set-up base camps for expeditions led by Alpine Ascents International of Seattle, agree. Trekkers in the lower Himalayas Elevations Also the use of cell phones, and "I do not know if it's good or bad," I said. "It was one of the FEW places Could you go and lose yourself from the world."
