Gilgit: Communication Challenges for Mountaineers and Trekkers at Concordia and Basecamps in Baltor.
Climbers and hikers at K2 Basecamp are facing unprecedented communication challenges this year due to Thuraya’s unreliable satellite network, which significantly affects proper communication, safety and logistics on the mountain.
Although the Thuraya satellite service at K2 Basecamp is a vital lifeline for communication in remote and high-altitude locations, it has been observed to be underperforming, leading to serious breakdowns in basic communications such as weather updates, emergency notifications and logistics coordination.
“Thuraya’s service has been extremely weak and unreliable this year,” commented Mr. Agostino Da Polenza. “We rely on it for weather forecasting and emergency communications, but dropped calls and poor signal strength have put us in precarious situations.”
This was brought to Thuraya’s attention but they did not even respond to the request and the problem still persists with the same intensity. Providing improved communication equipment at such high salaries is an inefficiency of the company given the extreme conditions and associated risks of climbing K2, the world’s second highest peak, and adjacent peaks. Climbers and hikers depend on real-time information to make critical decisions regarding their safety and progress.
“We call on the relevant authorities to address this issue without delay,” the mountaineer said. “The safety of climbers and trekkers should be paramount and a reliable communication network is non-negotiable.”
As the climbing season progresses, the impact of these communication issues is expected to worsen unless immediate steps are taken to improve the reliability and efficiency of the Thuraya network at K2 Basecamp and the surrounding area.
