GSM Goes Live in Myanmar

Myanmar (Burma) is reported to have begun a GSM network, to compliment its existing CDMA system, according to a report in the Myanmar Times. Myanma Posts and Telecommunications (MPT) told the newspaper that the network went live in Yangon and Mandalay with a capacity for 70,000 and 30,000 subscriber lines respectively.

The country currently has a CDMA network which has just 15,000 subscribers, although that is due to network capacity problems and not a lack of demand, judging by the fact that existing handsets can sell for upwards of US$3000 each. LG Electronics provided much of the CDMA network, and Siemens provided the GSM system, working with China's ZTE. The GSM network was originally expected to go live early last year was was evidently substantially delayed."

Posted to the site on 25th March 2002