Climber makes record cell call from Everest

You'd think that once you hit the summit of Mount Everest you might be able to count on at least a few incommunicado moments. Not these days.

British climber Rod Baber set a world record Monday for the highest-ever land-based mobile phone call and text message, according to Motorola, which is sponsoring his climb. He called from 29,035 feet at 5:37 a.m. local time using his Motorizr Z8.

Rod Baber

(Credit: Motorola)

Baber, who set out for Kathmandu on March 30 with a global team of climbers, made his first call to a special voice mail account. "It's cold, it's fantastic, the Himalayas are everywhere," he said. "I can't feel my toes. Everyone's in good spirits. We got here in record time. It's amazing."

He then made a second call to his family and sent a text message to a Motorola employee: "One small text for man, one giant leap for mobilekind--thanks Motorola." China Telecom made the achievement possible by setting up a mobile phone tower at base camp on the north side of the mountain.

Baber--managing director of an aerial adventure center in the U.K.--already holds a world record for reaching the highest point of every European nation, according to his moblog. An audio clip of his record-breaking Everest call can be heard on that site.