One hundred mountain lodges in Japan will be equipped with Wi-Fi provided by the Starlink satellite internet service offered by American aerospace company SpaceX, in a bid to provide more support for hikers, according to a major Japanese telecom giant.
Internet services will be available on most of the mountains in the Japanese Alps, with climbers able to access weather reports, social media, and emergency contacts, KDDI Corp. said Friday.
A total of 12 huts have been equipped with Starlink antennas so far after the service was introduced in 2023. The recent move expands access to Mt. Fuji, the Yatsugatake mountain range, the Northern Alps, Central Alps and the Southern Alps, among other areas.
Those who use the "au" mobile phone service operated by KDDI will be able to utilize the service for free, while those who use other providers can access Wi-Fi for two hours by paying 300 yen ($2), or 24 hours for 600 yen.
According to KDDI, there are many mountainous areas where mobile communication is difficult or fiber optical communications are not available, forcing hikers to leave their lodges and descend in search of areas where there is a mobile phone signal.
"We will provide (Wi-Fi) to a wide range of people not limited to our customers, in order for them to enjoy mountaineering safely," a KDDI official said.
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