Russian Telecom Operator Expands Mobile Coverage to Another Antarctic Bay
The new radio link is expected to improve coordination among research teams and connect polar explorers with their families.
MTS Digital Ecosystem has deployed cellular service and mobile internet at Antarctica’s logistics hub in Tala Bay, the company’s press service said.
In areas where laying fiber-optic cable is difficult due to glaciers and challenging terrain, MTS engineers built a base station and installed a 13-kilometer radio relay link to ship moorings in the bay.
The coverage extends beyond the scientific base and the Zenit airfield to the wheelhouses and captain’s bridges of the research and expedition vessels Akademik Tryoshnikov and Akademik Fedorov, as well as a significant portion of the Stornes Peninsula, where scientists conduct seasonal field studies.
Developing Polar Infrastructure for Science
Progress is an Antarctic station located in the Larsemann Hills on the coast of Prydz Bay. It serves as a key logistics hub for dispatching researchers and delivering fuel, cargo, and supplies to Vostok — known as the coldest place on Earth. The station hosts year-round scientific projects and receives satellite data on the state of sea ice.
Alexander Makarov, director of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, added that the ability to transmit critical scientific data from field sites in real time will significantly improve the efficiency, quality, and safety of research.
In total, MTS now provides voice and mobile internet services at five Russian Antarctic stations: Mirny, Vostok, Progress, Novolazarevskaya, and Bellingshausen.
