Siachen soldiers get high-speed 5G internet, cellular connectivity

Indian Army soldiers stationed at Siachen Glacier, the world’s highest and coldest battlefield, now have access to high-speed internet and faster cellular communications. This milestone was achieved through a collaboration between the Corps of Signals and Reliance Jio, which established the first-ever 5G tower in the Siachen sector.

The project required close coordination between Army Signallers and the Jio team, from planning to multiple training sessions, system pre-configuration, and comprehensive testing of the equipment. The Indian Army played a crucial role in managing logistics, including airlifting Jio’s equipment to Siachen Glacier.

“Fire and Fury Signallers and Siachen Warriors overcame harsh terrain and extreme temperatures below -40 degrees Celsius to install the 5G BTS at North Glacier,” Leh-based 14 Corps said on its official X handle on Monday.

“This indomitable feat is dedicated to our brave soldiers who are deployed in challenging conditions,” the post added.

 This collaboration ensured connectivity at 16,000 ft in the Karakoram range, an area characterised by extreme conditions with temperatures plummeting to minus 50 degrees Celsius.

Over the past few years, there has been a considerable enhancement of the Army’s communication network in remote areas of Ladakh. Besides its own radio and telephone networks, cellular connectivity is now available at most Army units located in forward and inaccessible areas.

This not only enables immediate inter-personal communication amongst Army personnel deployed there and with their families residing far away, but also benefits the local populace as well as tourists travelling to these areas.

Earlier, troops in remote areas were dependent on landlines to call up their families via STD, which required visiting regimental phone booths located at specific places.

China too has a strong mobile network on its side. In fact, there are places along the Line of Actual Control where visitors’ mobile phones catch Chinese networks.