At the shelter “Giosos Apostolidis”, at mount Olympus, at an altitude of 2.697 metres (!), communication -telephony and internet- is henceforth feasible, thanks to OTE.

At the Eastern side of Olympus, between the summits of Prophet Ilias and Toumpa, the shelter “Giosos Apostolidis”, managed by the Association of Greek Climbers of Thessaloniki, constitutes the only building in Greece at such altitude!

The shelter, that receives thousands of visitors each year, is open on a daily basis during the summer period, from the end of May up to the beginning of October, while it can accommodate up to 80 individuals. In the winter period, due to the altitude, the long distances and the difficulty to transport supplies, it is open only for organised mountaineering groups. The shelter “Giosos Apostolidis” covers basic needs of climbers and visitors. However, up to date, communication at this altitude, even in emergency cases, was not feasible.

A team of OTE technicians from Katerini and Veria walked for more than 7 hours at Olympus, in order to install the necessary equipment for the operation of telephone lines at the shelter. Two telephone lines with possibility of dial-up internet operate already, while 2 more may be connected in the future, if required. Necessary works included placing an antenna, which resembles to the common TV aerials, at the roof of the shelter, as well as at another OTE building at the village of Ritini Pierias, as there is optical contact between the two points.

Thanks to the professionalism and enthusiasm of OTE technicians, henceforth all those who go up to the highest shelter of Greece to admire the incomparable natural beauty, are now able to communicate.

The above action constitutes another example showing that OTE invests in the Greek periphery, ensuring the smooth communication and covering the telecommunications needs everywhere in Greece.