The competition is heating up in the Myanmar mobile space especially when it comes to low cost SIM cards. In Myanmar, one GSM SIM card costs 500,000 Kyats, which is about 613 US Dollars, making it the world’s most expensive SIM card. But the people still have to pay 500,000 Kyats to be able to use a mobile. Until January 2010, the cost was even higher at 1,500,000 Kyats per SIM card, which translates into $1,840 US dollars.
Now, after years of high prices, the cost of mobiles seems to be plunging as a private company, Shwe Pyi Ta Gung, is trying its best to sell a SIM card for 5000 Kyats, which is about6.13 in US dollars. “It is possible.” a spokesperson from Shwe Pyi Ta Gung said. “Currently, it is only about 6% of population that can use a mobile phone in Myanmar”. We are going to take care of the remaining 94%.” He added. But until now this mobile telecommunication is under control of “Myanmar Post and Telecommunication (MPT)” and private companies cannot take part in the business. And worse, “Myanmar Post and Telecommunication” rejected the proposal of Shwe Pyi Ta Gung, stating “it is not possible”. This was the only reason of the rejection.
On the other hand, Shwe Pyi Ta Gung said they are ready and they have all the required resources. They only need permission from the ruling government and Myanmar Post and Telecommunication. As the government is still staying silent with this matter Shwe Pyi Ta Gung is going to submit the people’s desire and votes to the president, U Thein Sein and all the chairmen of parliament very soon.
Shwe Pyi Ta Gung started to collect the people’s vote since 20th January. One of the social workers from Non Government Organization reported that Shwe Pyi Ta Gung is analyzing tens of thousands of votes to prepare a statement for President U Thein Sein and government. “We take care of people. We want everybody to be able to use a mobile phone. While it is not a luxury product around the world, mobile phones have been the products only the rich can buy inMyanmar. To stop this trend, we will fight our best to get a permission to produce low cost SIM cards.” said by a spokesperson of Shwe Pyi Ta Gung in its media conference.
One of the leading journals, Weekly Eleven, reported that Myanmar Post and Telecommunication is going to lower the cost of a mobile SIM card in March this year. Concerning with the rumour, the new price will be 150,000 Kyats (184USDollar), Myanmar Post and Telecommunication said that rumour is not true. “We are going to lower the price, but it will not be lower than 200,000 Kyats for a SIM card. It can be 250,000 Kyats (306USDollar) or may be 280,000 Kyats (343USDollar).” told by the spokesperson of Myanmar Post and Telecommunication.
