Burma Doubling GSM Capacity

Myanmar's Posts and Telecommunications (MPT) says that it is planning to increase GSM network capacity by some 80,000 lines in two major cities this year. The mobile phones will be added in Yangon and Mandalay for the current fiscal year 2006-07, the Flower News newspaper reported, citing state owned MPT officials.

Myanmar, officially the Union of Myanmar is also known as Burma or the Union of Burma by bodies and states who do not recognize the ruling military junta. Some nations, such as the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, have imposed trade sanctions on Myanmar. Foreign investment comes primarily from China, Singapore and Thailand. Quite who is providing the network equipment is not clear, although second hand shipments have usually been used for the current network.

According to the MPT, GSM phones in Myanmar can roam in 21 townships far up to the border areas also mainly covering Monywa, Mawlamyine, Bagan, Ngwesaung, Chaungtha, Taunggyi, Kyaingtong, Tachilek, Lashio and Muse in addition to Yangon and Mandalay.

The Mobile World database estimates that the country has about 135,000 mobile phone users, of which some 89,500 are using GSM services."

Posted to the site on 4th July 2006