Wi Fi is a gate to the Internet, a world where there no borders to communication. And it seems that it has been humanity’s goal for some time now, to allow every spot on planet earth to have access to the internet via Wi Fi.
With that been said, Climbers of Mount Fuji can now flash their ascent and conquest of Japan’s highest peak in an instant. Selfies can be uploaded on to social media pages thanks to the availability of broadband at the summit, 3,700 metres above sea level where connection to the Internet is available at three different locations. As climbers pass the sixth stage of the ascent they are given a card with a login ID and password that is valid for three days.
The program is specifically aimed to encourage hikers from Europe and the U.S. to share experiences on the 3,776-m volcano through email and social media. There will be eight wi-fi hot spots in the vicinity, reports local daily Asahi Shimbun.
“Eight different locations on Mount Fuji will be equipped with Wi-Fi hotspots run by the telecom giant NTT Docomo, in partnership with the local prefecture governments, The Daily Dot reports. “In addition, cottages around the summit and resort facilities will provide hikers and adventurers with a way to stay connected as they climb. The initial trial phase will run through September this year.”
On the other hand, Ludovic Cao, an enthusiastic tourist stated “I used the Wi-Fi to actually update my social media and connect with my friends and keep them updated on where I am right now. You don’t see a lot of mountains offering this kind of service and also even back home – I’m from Montreal/Canada – we don’t have that kind of stuff. I saw people actually having reception and calling for work I think,” enthused tourist.
The mountain high broadband is a novelty not just for tourists but for the Japanese too.
“It’s great that we can connect to a network here. I run an internet blog from up here and so I am now able to inform people who are planning to climb Mt. Fuji about the conditions up here and let them know what the weather is like. It makes me very happy,” said Daisuke Koiwai who blogs from the summit.
It was listening to tourists which led to the network on the summit being installed. Visitors from the US and Europe had responded with feedback mentioning their wish for Wi-Fi. It will be available until mid September.
As it weird as it may seem, Fuji is not the most distant place that Wi Fi has been placed. Everest has had wifi since 2010, when a company installed hotspots on it. The highest hotspot on the mountain (and presumably the world) is 17,000 feet up, at the last base camp that people visit before they make their last push for the top. Some other weird places that one ca find a Wi Fi connection are the North Pole (has been wired up for internet since 2005), outer space (The International Space Station has the most distant internet connection in the world) and…on donkeys in Israel! Yes, Israeli theme park called KfarKedem aims to show people what life was like in Galilee 2,000 years ago – they can make traditional food and milk goats, for instance. But there are also donkeys with wifi hotspots attached to them wandering round, if the old-style living gets a little much.
So soon the whole world will have access to the internet and that change could bring with it many pros as well as many cons. Who’s to say? Stay tuned to find out!
Last Modified: Jan 22, 2017