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Telecommunications in Antarctica is provided by the organizations that have established research stations on the continent. Antarctica is not formally designated by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in any of the world zones.
Communication infrastructure is provided through service providers in each country that administers each base.
Telephone communication
United States bases
Telephones – main lines in use: 0 (note: information for US bases only, 2001)
Telephones – mobile cellular: Argentine bases have GSM networks provided by Argentinean carriers Claro and Movistar; Iridium system in use. Chile has 5G network provide by Entel company.[1]
Telephone system
general assessment: local systems at some research stations
domestic: N/A
international: via satellite from some research stations
Australian and New Zealand stations
Five locations (Casey Station (AU), Davis Station (AU), Macquarie Island Station (AU), Mawson Station (AU) and Scott Base (NZ)) all have telephone connections that enable direct dialling to and from the outside world. Connections to the Australian stations is via the country calling code +672.
Argentinian and Chilean bases within their claims, which have families living at them, are also connected by direct dial connections.
Data access to the Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station is provided by access via NASA's TDRS-F1, GOES & Iridium satellite constellation. Marisat F-2 provided data communications until it was retired in 2008. For the 2007-2008 season, the TDRS relay (named South Pole TDRSS Relay or SPTR) was upgraded to support a data return rate of 50Mbit/s, which comprises over 90% of the South Pole's data capability, which is used primarily for scientific data return.[2][3]
The Australian Stations each have a satellite data connection, currently contracted to Speedcast. This provides each station with a 9Mbps symmetric connection.
Regarding Argentine bases in general, Marambio Base has wireless internet and two mobile phone servers.
Orbcomm satellites which pass over Antarctica can relay short messages to and from transceiver units to email or XML over HTTP.
The McMurdo station has permanent access to a shared 17Mbps connection; testing of the Starlink service began in September 2022,[5] with a second terminal providing connectivity for the Allan Hills field camp brought in November 2022.[6][7] As of January 2025, Starlink was working for the cruise ship Scenic Eclipse II, as far South as McMurdo station.
Radio
Official broadcasts
Argentina Bases: Radio Nacional Arcangel San Gabriel, Esperanza Base, on 15.476MHz with 2kW and 97.6MHz. QSL cards verified.
Chile Bases: Radio Soberania, Villa las Estrellas on 90.5MHz with 100 W.
United States Bases: American Forces Antarctic Network AFAN McMurdo, on 93.9MHz with 30 W and 104.5MHz with 50 W.[8]
Scott Base - New Zealand: Scott97FM, On 97.0 MHz with 25 W
Amateur radio
Several bases used their transceivers also to provide amateur radio worldwide communications on HF or amateur radio satellites with specific club callsigns, also useful on utility and emergency communications.
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