The mountain, Kilimanjaro available on broadband

The Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, the government has installed a broadband internet line on the slopes of Kilimanjaro to enhance the safety of porters and climbers as they ascend Africa’s highest peak, it was learned Wednesday, August 17.

Tanzania Telecommunications put into service Tuesday, August 16. The line was installed at 3,720 meters above sea level, and the network will cover by the end of the year the summit and its mythical snows at 5,895 m.

“In the past it was a bit dangerous for visitors and porters to operate without internet,” said Nape Nnauye at the inauguration of the service, surrounded by government officials and tourists.

“All tourists will be connected (…) to this place,” he added from the Horombo Huts.

Kilimanjaro is located in northeastern Tanzania; near the border with Kenya, the mountain is a popular destination for tourists and mountaineers, who are about 35,000 each year to undertake its ascent.

The famous mountain – described by Ernest Hemingway in “The Snows of Kilimanjaro” – and the area surrounding it are classified as a National Park and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Last year, a government cable car project on the southern slopes of Kilimanjaro drew widespread criticism from hikers and environmental organizations.

Technology is increasingly penetrating the mountain world, from the Wi-Fi that Everest climbers have access to smartphones that allow for early warning in case of an accident.