China Mobile gives Huawei the nod to build cell tower on Mount Everest
By Sean Cooper 
posted Oct 12th 2007 10:41AM
posted Oct 12th 2007 10:41AM
China Mobile has awarded Huawei the contract to build a Solar Powered GSM base station on Mount Everest. Planted at 6,500 meters, the tower will supply network coverage for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay Team, mountaineers, and beautify a pretty drab landscape. Apparently the tower will be using satellite to communicate with the outside world, though with solar power driving it, we wonder how it'll do when an extended storm blows in. So if you happen to find yourself on Everest in the coming months, feel free to drop us a picture message featuring some high altitude shenanigans.
I'd rather they get their 3G network up and going in China first. GPRS is getting boring here in Shanghai.
Are they seriously going to have a Olympic torch bearer traverse to the top of Everest? Like what happens if the person does a very human thing like pass out...or worse?
Fixing a structure on top of this mountain is a disgrace! You can use a satellite phone already so what is the point?
WTF? Somebody thought this was a good idea? Haven't people die on Everest? Not only do men have to climb this "killer" mountain, but build a cell tower on it as well? Good luck with that.