Mizzima News

Rangoon – A new broadband service without a land line is being made available by a domestic private firm in Burma as of this month.

REDLINK the first private service provider of WiMAX broadband connection has launched its service in western, northern and southern districts of Rangoon. Now the firm will extend its service to townships in the eastern district.

While the government-owned Myanmar Teleport under the Myanmar Communication Corporation had started the service six months ago, the private firm is the first to bring it in to the market.

"Myanmar Teleport started the service six months ago. We will continue with our service. REDLINK is a separate business. I don't know whether the prices are at par," an official from Myanmar Teleport head office told Mizzima.

In Burma, where only about 1 per cent of the more than 50 million population have access to internet, connections are only provided by two government controlled Service providers – Myanmar Teleport and Myanmar Post and Telecommunication (MPT).

With the ruling military government making it a point to tightly control the broadband connections, the uses and advance of WIMAX is a new development in the field of Information Technology in Burma.

According to the official, applications for WiMAX connections can be submitted directly to the Myanmar Teleport by paying installation fees of FEC 1,500 [1 FEC equals 1 US dollar].

The annual fee is FEC 60 and monthly fees are FEC 45 for 128 Kbps speed and FEC 75 for 356 Kbps. But the application will be accepted only after technicians of Teleport make an onsite inspection.

"The processing of an application will take two weeks. After which, IT technicians will come for an onsite inspection to check the strength of the signal. The application will only be confirmed if the signal strength is found to be adequate. The applicant then has to pay the required fees following which Teleport will install the system within 45 days," a salesman from the Myanmar Teleport said.

"Sometimes the dish cannot access the tower if a house is on low ground. In such a case the inspection result will be negative. So the inspection team will check the location of the house first and only after that the application can be processed," he added.

WiMAX broadband connection is similar to that of ADSL Broadband but it does not require to be installed with a landline (terrestrial) telephone.

"It is same as the ADSL connection. In ADSL, the service is better when the landline works properly. But in WiMAX, signals depend on the weather. But we haven't received any complaints yet about poor service and connection," the salesman added.

The Broadband WiMAX needs only an 'outdoor unit' for an internet connection and is easy to install. Moreover it will have a separate VOIP phone line with a seven digit phone number.

Similar broadband services without landline telephones were previously provided by other ISPs such as Bagan, which is taken over by the Myanmar Teleport and Myanmar Post and Telecommunication. But the customers of these ISPs are faced inconveniences when the outdoor units complete its life span.

Reporting by mizzima correspondent in Rangoon, written by Nem Davies