Free wifi zones to be set up at Everest base camp

In order to promote tourism and provide easy flow of information during disasters, the Nepal government on Wednesday said free wifi zones would be set up on the Lukla-Everest Base Camp and the Annapurna Base Camp.

"In the initial phase we will set up free wifi zones along the Lukla-EBC area and Annapurna trail," Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA) Chairman Digambar Jha said in a programme here.

"We will expand this service in other areas too," the Kathmandu Post quoted Jha as saying.

Jha said the service will operate on the Okamura Model. The model suggests use of low-cost optical cable for high-speed internet.

The initiative comes after Nepal's Tourism industry was hit due to several avalanches triggered by earthquakes. Climbers at the Mount Everest base camp and others usually get trapped on the slopes.

In many incidents, including the avalanche that hit the Everest base camp post the 2015 Nepal earthquake, rescue teams reached the trapped people late, leading to deaths.

--IANS

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