Published by Robert Privett on February 07, 2024
Telenor has achieved a major milestone in polar communications by setting up the world’s southernmost mobile base station at the Troll research station in Antarctica, managed by the Norwegian Polar Institute. This announcement, made on Tuesday, underscores the strategic importance of this new installation in bolstering scientific research and environmental monitoring in one of the planet's most extreme and isolated regions.
The new base station, which became operational earlier this month, utilizes a satellite backhaul link provided by Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT). KSAT already plays a crucial role in providing satellite-based communication services to Troll through its TrollSat ground station, a key facility for collecting data from climate and environmental monitoring satellites, thus enhancing the station’s research capabilities.
Telenor’s installation is engineered to withstand the harsh Antarctic conditions. It is designed to operate in sub-zero temperatures and endure wind speeds exceeding 300 km/h, which can propel stones and gravel against the infrastructure. This robust design is essential for maintaining uninterrupted communication services in an environment where such services are critical for the safety and coordination of research teams.
The Troll research station is a pivotal hub for scientific exploration and environmental studies in Antarctica. Reliable communication is vital for coordinating research activities, ensuring researchers' safety, and enabling real-time data transmission. The new base station enhances connectivity, facilitating mobile Internet of Things (IoT) applications to gather fieldwork data and offering new possibilities for environmental monitoring in the surrounding oceanic areas.
Christian Skottun, head of Telenor Svalbard, emphasized the importance of mobile coverage in polar regions. He noted that Telenor leveraged its extensive experience from similar installations in Svalbard, another remote and challenging Arctic environment. According to Skottun, the mobile coverage provided by the new base station supports data collection and research activities and expands the potential for innovative research and monitoring efforts in Antarctica.
Camilla Brekke, director of the Norwegian Polar Institute, highlighted that mobile coverage at Troll would open new avenues for research and surveillance, particularly in the vast region of Dronning Maud Land. This technological advancement marks a significant step forward in enhancing the research station's capabilities and supports the broader scientific mission of the institute.
While Telenor’s base station is the first to cover Troll, it is not the pioneer mobile network on the continent. In 2017, Telefonica Moviles Argentina launched a 4G network at the Marambio Base, an Argentine research facility. Similarly, in 2020, Russian operator MTS installed a GSM network at the Russian Progress station. These installations highlight the growing importance of advanced communication technologies in supporting polar research activities.
The establishment of the mobile base station at Troll not only reflects technological advancements in satellite and mobile communications but also underscores the increasing recognition of the need for robust communication infrastructure in remote research environments. As polar research expands, reliable, high-quality communication services will become increasingly critical in ensuring the success and safety of these scientific endeavors.