Mount Kilimanjaro Gets Its Own Wi-Fi Network

Hikers can now document their climbs on Mount Kilimanjaro in real time.

Hikers climbing Mount Kilimanjaro will now be able to access reliable Wi-Fi during their adventures up the mountain, thanks to a new broadband network installation. 

The new high-speed, fiber-optic network was set up by state-owned Tanzania Telecommunications Corp. and will allow climbers to tweet, post on TikTok, or even go live for their journeys up the massive mountain, a new report from NBC News reveals. 

Mount Kilimanjaro stands 19,340 feet above sea level in northern Tanzania, making it Africa's highest peak. More than 30,000 tourists a year attempt to climb it, according to the outlet. 

Climbers will be able to access Wi-Fi internet up to an altitude of 12,205 feet, with Tanzania hoping to offer a full internet connection up to the mountain's summit by the end of the year. 

"All visitors will get connected … [up to] this point of the mountain," Nape Moses Nnauye, Tanzania's Minister of Information, Communication and Information Technology, reportedly told journalists at a news conference held at Horombo Huts, an accommodation camp on the mountain, on Tuesday. That camp is located at the edge of the network, 12,205 feet about sea level. Nnauye also tweeted to share the newly available network with his followers.

"Today Up on Mount Kilimanjaro: I am hoisting high-speed INTERNET COMMUNICATIONS (BROADBAND) on the ROOF OF AFRICA," Nnauye wrote on Tuesday. "Tourists can now communicate worldwide from the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. WE ARE GOING TO UHURU PEAK 5880 Meters Above Sea Level!" 

But while drawing tourists in with the new network is certainly a priority—in 2019, the industry accounted for 17% of Tanzania's gross domestic product, according to NBC—the new network will also help to increase the safety of those attempting the climb by allowing a more reliable connection to emergency services. 

Sam Barker, head of analytics at digital technology firm Juniper Research, explained that the fiber-optic network—which can transmit data at the speed of light—is "able to provide connectivity with high-data rates and low latency [the time it takes to get a response after sending out a data request] [which] will provide a significant improvement in terms of safety."

Barker also said that the network is preferable to a mobile network, noting, "Traditionally, installing fiber-optic cable has been plagued by the presence of existing infrastructure and having to work around buildings or other network infrastructure. This will not be an issue on Mount Kilimanjaro."

So while Mount Kilimanjaro may soon see an influx in influencer hikers, help will be more accessible to visitors if something goes wrong during the trip. 

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