Worlds Highest Phone Call Record Attempt

Rod Baber plans to climb Everest and then establish a world record by making a mobile call from the summit. Weather permitting, the attempt to reach the peak of Everest is scheduled to take place in late May.

Making a phone call from the summit of Everest has become possible thanks to a mobile base station installed in China that has line of sight to the north side of the mountain. Mr Baber was confident that the attempt on the world record would work because the phone he will use has been tested in very low temperatures and the final climb will only happen if weather conditions are good.

The downside is that staying in contact with this base station demands that climbers follow the north ridge to the top - generally regarded as the toughest route.An experienced climber Mr Baber also holds the world record for climbing more of the world's highest points than any one else. However, all his climbing has been done on peaks under 7,000 metres high.

Mr Baber is sponsored by Motorola who has provided the phone he will use to make the call and send a text message from the summit.

Mr Baber will not spend long on the top of Everest, perhaps only 15 minutes, largely because conditions at that altitude (8,848m, 29,028ft) are so harsh.

Taking a phone that will help keep him in touch with family and friends would help in the attempt to climb the mountain, he said.

"It does not matter how fit you are," said Mr Baber, "the key reason to success is 80% psychological. Having someone you can speak to on the other end of the telephone can overturn those invisible obstacles." source:bbc