www.teliasonera.com

TeliaSonera’s Nepalese subsidiary, Ncell, has launched 3G services in the Mount Everest area in the Khumbu valley. Located at an altitude of 5,200 meters, the highest 3G base station allows locals, climbers and trekkers to surf the web, send videos and e-mails, as well as make voice calls at far cheaper rates than the average satellite phone. By the end of 2011, Ncell will provide mobile coverage to over 90% of the Nepalese population.

TeliaSonera today announced that its subsidiary in Nepal, Ncell, has successfully launched 3G services in the Mount Everest area. By the end of 2011 Ncell will provide mobile coverage to over 90 percent of the people in Nepal.

"This is a great milestone for mobile communications, and strong evidence of TeliaSonera’s pioneering role in this industry that is truly changing the lives of billions of people”, said Lars Nyberg, President and CEO of TeliaSonera.

“We are very proud to announce the world’s highest mobile data service as we launch 3G services in the Mount Everest area in the Khumbu valley. From its perch on the world’s tallest mountain, 3G high speed internet will bring faster, more affordable telecommunication services to the people living in the Khumbu Valley, trekkers, and climbers alike”, he continued.

Located at an altitude of 5,200 meter the highest 3G base station enables locals, climbers and trekkers to surf the web, send video clips and e-mails, as well as to call friends and family back home – all at far cheaper rates than the average satellite phone. Everest base camp just came a little closer.

3G grows subscriber base

Through the expanding 3G network, Ncell will also provide affordable services to the entire population of Nepal. Mobile penetration is still low, but rapidly rising. This trend is being driven largely by investments TeliaSonera and others are making in modern telecom infrastructure. When TeliaSonera entered Nepal in 2008, mobile penetration was around 15 percent, and by the end of the third quarter this year it was already over 30% percent. Ncell already boasts 3.7 million subscribers and the advent of the 3G network is expected to boost this subscriber base.

At a press conference held today in Kathmandu, Lars Nyberg, President and CEO, Tero Kivisaari, President of Business Area Eurasia and Pasi Koistinen, CEO of Ncell, also unveiled plans for future TeliaSonera investments in Nepal. TeliaSonera has decided to increase the pace of investment for 2011 and spend over 100 M USD. This will ensure mobile coverage to over 90% of the population with affordable telecom services that contribute to the economic and social development of the country, as well as 3G coverage in all major cities and other densely populated areas.

Click here to see the Finn Veikka Gustafsson, one of the few in the world to have climbed all the world’s highest mountains without bottled oxygen, talk about the importance and possibilities of the new 3G services in the Mount Everest basecamp.