Is there Internet on Mount Kilimanjaro? Yes, now there is internet on Mount Kilimanjaro thanks to efforts by the government of Tanzania. Is the internet fast on Kilimanjaro? Yes, through a national broadband project, the government-run Tanzania Telecommunications Limited (TTCL) established high-speed internet access atop Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa’s tallest mountain. A few years back if you googled or asked this question, the answer would be no, because Kilimanjaro has been a remote area for quite a long time with minimal connectivity or even zero mobile signal for cellphones on the mountain, let alone high-speed internet. But that is now a thing of the past thanks to great efforts by the government of H.E Samia Suluhu Hassan through the minister for Information, Communication and Technology (ICT), Hon. Nnape Nauye.
The ICT minister Nape Nnauye activated internet connectivity on Tuesday at Horombo Huts, 3,720 meters above sea level. It is anticipated to reach Uhuru, at 5,895 meters, in October.
According to him, the initiative will make the mountain more visible and draw more tourists to one of the top tourist spots in the nation.
Mr. Nnauye stated that “tourists may now converse with one another from the mountain’s summit,” adding that “it will also improve the safety of mountain climbers and porters.”
The minister claims that around Tsh146 million ($6.3 million) was spent to bring internet access to the Horombo Huts.
At roughly 1,860m, connectivity failed, making it hard for hikers to continue making phone calls.
Mountaineering today involves a significant amount of technology.
Internet access has been recognized by specialists to be helpful in increasing climbers’ awareness and aiding in the navigation of their climbs, in addition to the pleasure of live-streaming ascents on social media.
At base camp on Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world, climbers already have access to wi-fi.
Nnauye stated during the unveiling on Tuesday that internet service will be extended to the mountain’s peak by the end of the year, adding that “before, it was a bit risky for guests and porters who had to operate without internet” on Mount Kilimanjaro.
Nape Moses Nnauye, the minister of information and communication for Tanzania, tweeted, “Today Up on Mount Kilimanjaro: I am hoisting high-speed INTERNET COMMUNICATIONS (BROADBAND) on the ROOF OF AFRICA.” “From Mount Kilimanjaro’s peak, tourists may now interact with people all around the world.”
Today Up on Mount Kilimanjaro: I am hoisting high-speed INTERNET COMMUNICATIONS (BROADBAND) on the ROOF OF AFRICA. Tourists can now communicate worldwide from the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. WE ARE GOING TO UHURU PEAK 5880 Meters Above Sea Level!#royaltourcompliment #royaltour pic.twitter.com/jXqGoWCBjU
— Nape Moses Nnauye (@Nnauye_Nape) August 16, 2022
The gigantic mountain’s home, Kilimanjaro National Park, is a protected UNESCO World Heritage site and contributes to Tanzania’s tourism industry.
According to a well-known guiding service, thousands of people climb Kilimanjaro each year, with many aiming to reach the summit.
The introduction of internet access on Mount Kilimanjaro was praised by Chen Mingjian, the Chinese ambassador to Tanzania.
China is contributing to Tanzania’s government’s attempts to expand access to ICT infrastructure.
Is Uhuru Peak connected to the internet though?
At the end of the year, there are plans to expand the coverage to Uhuru Peak, which rises 19,291 feet (5,880 meters) above sea level.
“Before, it was a little risky for guests and porters to work without internet,” He remarked. From the Horombo Huts camp on the slope, he said, “All tourists will get linked… (up to) this point on the mountain.
He also demanded that the government-run internet service provider expand its reach to other remote tourist destinations and national parks.
Nnauye said that everyone may now access the Tanzania Telecommunications Corp.’s high-speed internet service during an event on Tuesday that was held at an elevation of 12,450 feet (3,795 meters), surrounded by government representatives and foreign tourists.
Some Tanzanians applauded the decision as a boost to the country’s tourist economy, while others mocked the government on social media for failing to improve services in commercial hubs and guarantee better internet connection in rural villages and towns.
Tanzania’s economy depends heavily on tourism, which is expected to generate $1.4 billion in income in 2021 or over 6% of the country’s GDP. The coronavirus epidemic, which brought an end to international travel, is still having an impact on the industry.
Approximately 13 Empire State buildings tall, Mount Kilimanjaro is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site. The snowy peak of Tanzania’s largest free-standing volcanic mass, which is also the largest on Earth, draws tourists from all over the world.
Every year, tens of thousands of people attempt to ascend Kilimanjaro, which takes around a week to complete.
The National ICT Broadband Backbone, a larger government initiative with some Chinese funding, includes internet expansion. China’s ambassador to Tanzania, Chen Mingjian, tweeted her support for the Kilimanjaro project on Tuesday. Beijing has long tried to finance and enhance the country’s communication and other facilities.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken revealed the Biden administration’s plan for creating partnerships earlier this month while touring the continent. The goal is to assist African countries to reduce their reliance on foreign aid and handling issues like climate change.
The effort comes as Russia supplies weapons and mercenaries and China invests and lends money into Africa.
Blinken remarked in a speech at South Africa’s University of Pretoria, “Neither the United States nor anybody else should dictate Africa’s choices.” “Africans and only Africans have the right to these decisions.”
After proposing plans for a cable-car system on the southern slope of Kilimanjaro to increase tourism and give access to people who are unable to climb it, Tanzania’s government has caused controversy. The initiative, according to expedition organizations, porters who assist climbers, and climate specialists, would damage the mountain’s sensitive environment and harm the local economy.
Climate scientists said earlier this month that below-average rainfall, a protracted drought, and massive infrastructure projects that thwart conservation efforts were posing an increasing threat to Africa’s national parks, which are home to hundreds of animal species.
You can now tweet, Tiktok, Snapchat, WhatsApp, and send Instagram selfies on Mount Kilimanjaro
To enable climbers to tweet, TikTok, Snapchat, WhatsApp, or Instagram their ascents, Kilimanjaro now has high-speed internet.
Have you ever dreamt of publishing a photo of your ascent of Africa’s tallest peak on Instagram in real-time, did it even, like, happen?
On the Kilimanjaro slopes, Tanzania has set up high-speed internet access, enabling anybody with a smartphone to tweet, Instagram, or WhatsApp their climb up Africa’s tallest peak.
After Tanzania’s Information Ministry took action this week to build high-speed internet in the region, adventurers may now upload their ascents to share with family, friends, and followers in real-time.
Internet Connectivity on Kilimanjaro will help boost safety for climbers and crew
As the Tanzanian officials applaud the decision and claim connection would help increase porter and guest safety, climbers on Kilimanjaro will benefit from the new internet service by having access to the outside world.
Practically speaking, the enormous advancements in communications technology have made it possible for climbers, sea sailors, and polar explorers to get the most recent weather forecasts and to contact for help in an emergency.
The action is the most recent illustration of attempts to improve connection in the world’s most remote locations. In 2007, a Chinese phone tower received the first call placed from the top of Everest.
In sharp contrast, on May 29, 1953, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay conquered the world’s highest peak. The world did not learn of their success until 2 June, just in time for Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation.
Small pocket-sized satellite communications devices, like Garmin’s inReach Mini, which allow tracking, positioning, and the ability to send and receive text messages, have made it possible for travelers to stay in touch even in the polar regions as mobile phone networks have spread to ever more remote locations.
The drawback, as several UK mountain rescue teams have noted, is that some climbers and hikers have gotten into difficulties as a result of relying too heavily on faulty technology, such as cell phone navigation apps. The British Mountaineering Council has emphasized time and time again that navigation should never be primarily accomplished via a mobile device.
The most recent developments on Mount Kilimanjaro come after the Tanzanian government revealed intentions to build a cable car on the mountain’s southern flank, which infuriated climbers, tour operators, and conservationists.
With over 35,000 individuals making an attempt to summit the mountain each year, Kilimanjaro is a significant source of tourist revenue for Tanzania and neighboring Kenya.
The mountain, which became famous because to Ernest Hemingway’s short tale The Snows of Kilimanjaro, is a national park and a Unesco world heritage site.
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