Mizzima News

New Delhi - Introducing a new communication technology, Burma's military junta authorities have started distributing Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) telephones, an official at the Myanmar Posts and Telecommunications (MPT) Department said.

However, due to infrastructure inadequacies the authorities have only been able to distribute 50 WCDMA sets on trial since the beginning of July, said the official, who requested anonymity as he is not authorized to speak to the press.

"We need to do a lot more in terms of construction of towers and need more time for tests, after that more telephones will be offered," the official said.

About 200,000 mobile phones have been distributed across the country once the infrastructure is in place, he added.

The WCDMA is the latest to be introduced in Burma, where the government has provided limited numbers of Global System for Mobile (GSM), and various kinds of CDMA phones.

Despite the new introduction, obtaining a mobile phone is not always easy for ordinary Burmese citizens. One has to go through a lot of procedures at an extraordinary cost.

According to the official, the new WCDMA sets are priced at 2.8 million Kyat (US$ 2150), while a GSM costs about 2.3 million Kyat (US$ 1800). A CDMA costs about 2.1 million Kyat (US$ 1615).

These are black market prices and normally it is impossible for ordinary people to buy mobile phones.

"If you want to apply for a mobile phone, you need to submit your identity card, address proof, occupation and pay 1.5 million Kyat (US$ 1192) on receiving the permit," the official explained.

But applying for a mobile phone at the government's telecommunication office is almost impossible for ordinary people, as government officials and employees are given first priority to receive the limited number of phones.

"Government officials or employees can easily get mobile phone permits," a salesperson at a mobile shop, Global Digital Electronic Centre in Rangoon said.

It has become a fashion for government officials to seek mobile phones permits and rent them again in the black market, he said. 

"These officials, who receive multiple phone permits for one family, then rent it out to others at a cost of about 40,000 to 50,000 kyat per month," the sales person said.

"Most businessmen have to rent mobile phones from others," he added.