The world's highest mobile phone base station has been launched on Mount Everest.

Built at an altitude of 6500 meters, the base station is run by China Mobile, one of the major mobile service providers in China, and will be providing communications services for the relay of the Olympic torch and mountaineers who come to climb Everest.

The construction of the base station was started on October 25 and lasted more than 20 days. Because of the high altitude of the area, the construction work itself and the transportation of relevant equipment and materials were the two major difficulties for the builders.

China Mobile previously completed the mobile communications network coverage between Lhasa and Mount Everest Camp, which features a total of 17 base stations and 20 repeaters.