Everest North Side Expedition
Chinese SOHU Expedition

The Chinese set up mobile communication on the North side of Everest in 2003. In setting up a mobile communication system for the first time on Everest, this allowed the Chinese mountain climbers to send messages, pictures and make mobile phone calls from Everest, wirelessly. While the Internet cafe on the South Side received the attention of the press, using basically similar satellite technology that has been used on Everest for years, the Chinese established new ground for others to follow. "After Shen Luo (captain of team-B) succeeded to climb the Everest at 15:30 p.m....to greet the friends of SOHU by mobile telephone at the 8848m Zenith. Thus, the activity of color-display on the Everest (originated together by SOHU, China Mobile Data Group and Motorola) ended successfully. At the same time, the communication operation by mobile telephone at the 8848m Zenith was accomplished."

The Chinese were also able to broadcast from live from the Summit of Everest to hundreds of millions of people. While many are happy with a photo or a so tiny video image from the top, the Chinese repeated history by broadcasting live from the Summit of Everest, something they were part of several years earlier when it happened for the first time.

Dispatches