Africa’s Mount Kilimanjaro Gets Broadband So You Can Tweet At Its Pinnacle

Live-tweeting meets extreme mountain climbing as the Tanzanian government installs broadband in the most unlikely of places: the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.

The introduction of Wi-Fi service aims to encourage more people to attempt at scaling the mountain by giving them a little reward at the end in the form of real-time bragging rights.

Standing at 12,450 feet, Kilimanjaro is one of the highest peaks in Africa and is soon to be one of the highest places to tweet from.

The network was set up at a height of 12,200 feet.  

The event was celebrated with the country’s information minister tweeting from the summit itself, announcing that he was testing out the broadband connectivity from high above.

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

In another attempt to draw in the crowds, the country had drawn up plans to install a cable car before locals, climbers, and environmentalists expressed their concerns about doing so.

While internet network might appeal to those looking to take their next Insta-worthy shot, it could also save lives. According to The Guardian, there have been 35,000 attempts to ascend the UNESCO World Heritage Site each year on average, and even the most apt of climbers can face trouble when conquering Kilimanjaro. Connectivity would enable those wounded or stranded to call for help.

However, this could also invite a host of amateurs wanting to get their pictures. Unskilled climbers relying solely on phone navigation have a higher risk of getting lost than expert mountaineers.

Either way, your selfie game is never going to be as strong as it is once you’ve reached the top of Africa.

[via Futurism and The Guardian, Photo 10175112 © Anna Om | Dreamstime.com]