China Mobile provides LTE to top of Mount Everest

China Mobile has deployed LTE-TDD services at the top of Mount Everest.

The operator has teamed up with kit vendor Huawei, which has supplied its LTE solutions for the project. According to the firms, more than 200 users can now stream live HD video services from a base camp.

Everest, located in the Himalayas between China and Nepal, is the tallest mountain in the world, standing 8,800m high. In 2007, China Mobile and Huawe provided 2G coverage on Mount Everest to ensure mountain climber safety and to prepare for a leg of the 2008 Olympic Games torch relay. The technology had continued to provide visitors with mobile services ever since.

“Bringing 4G to Mount Everest marks an important milestone in global LTE TDD development,” said David Wang, president of Huawei Wireless Networks. “We look forward to working with more operators worldwide to bring high-speed mobile broadband services.”

The vendor added that as of May 2013 it had deployed LTE TDD solutions for nearly 40 operators in Asia, the Middle East, North America, South America, Western Europe, Russia and Africa.