The Internet in Burma (1998-2009)

(Research)

* 1998 - Myanmar Post and Telecommunication Ministry starts selling Email service under mptmail.net.mm. Travel agencies and business groups, along with foreign businesses, are the biggest buyers of the service. Additionally, all government ministries avail themselves of the service.

* 1999 - Myanmar Post and Telecommunication Ministry introduces MPT as a dial-up Internet service, costing 230,000 kyat (US$ 230 at today’s exchange rate). Most users were former mptmail users.
* 2000 - completion of an optical submarine telecommunications cable by the government aims to improve the efficiency of Internet service.
* 2001 - some Intranet Burmese websites come into service through Info Rhythm, a private business introduced to sell Intranet lines for public use. Installation is 50,000 kyat and there is a charge of 3,000 to 5,000 kyat per month for general usage.
* 2002 - Bagan Cyber Tech, a private Internet service, is the first and only Internet service provider in Burma. www.bagan.net.mm is the first Burmese portal site introduced by Bagan Cyber Tech and Bagan Forum and Yangon Chat become very popular services. Although Myanmar Post and Telecommunication sells not only dial-up but also broadband connections, it cannot overcome demand for Bagan Cyber Tech’s broadband connection among domestic Internet users. Bagan Cyber Tech manufactures and sells three kinds of prepaid cards (15 hours, 30 hours and 60 hours) called Access Kid, which use dial-up system.
* 2003 - Bagan Cyber Tech introduces IP-Star Internet connection. Although at first the installation cost is high, its good service and its compatibility with most areas attracts great interest among many industries and businesses.
* 2004 - MPT introduces ADSL service. Soon after, ADSL is also available from Bagan Cyber Tech, with an installation price tag of 250,000 kyat. As monthly payments get cheaper and connection speed is increased, the number of Internet cafes in downtown Rangoon mushrooms, along with corresponding Internet users.
* 2005 - private Internet cafes have to register as public information centers.
* 2006 - privately owned Bagan Cyber Tech is transferred to the government. Rechristened Myanmar Teleport, quality of service begins to steadily decline.
* 2007 - there are several failures of the Internet, as providers MPT and Myanmar Teleport ban a number of websites. Additionally, Burma Yadanarbon Teleport commences operations as a publicly owned Internet service provider.
* 2008 - MPT announces that ADSL service is available in 36 cities across Burma. All of Bagan Cyber Tech’s operations fall under the direct control of MPT. Red-Link Group becomes Burma’s second privately owned Internet service and introduces a new broadband product called Wi-max in Rangoon and Mandalay. Although Myanmar Teleport and MPT sell the Wi-max connection, most people buy and use Wi-max from Red-Link. Installation cost is $1,800 and monthly payments range from $35 to $50 according to services.
* 2009 - the market for Internet cafes and users becomes increasingly limited and strained as Internet connections continue to deteriorate. Rangoon Internet cafés struggle to survive, as Internet service providers do not extend their lines. Additionally, fewer people patronize Internet cafes as the power supply becomes more erratic and the speed of connection slows considerably. Red-Link arranges for a pre-paid Wi-Fi network to be in service in eight locations in Rangoon and plan to launch a portal site, www.enjoy.net.mm. Installation of MPT and Myanmar Teleport costs over $2,000, Wi-max and IP-Star $1,800 and 5,000,000 kyat, respectively. Rangoon is estimated to hold 85 percent of Internet users and by far the greatest number of Internet cafes, 350 by one calculation.
* The speed of the Internet connection for the whole of Burma is 7.8 Gps and 25 percent of users are domestic. In Naypyitaw, all ministries are using fiber cables and VOIP is available for connections between Rangoon and Naypyitaw. MPT fiber cable connection costs $2,500 to install and carries a monthly payment of $500. Most people, except large business, cannot afford this connection. Currently the following Internet connection speeds are being used for Internet services: 128 Kbs (home), 256 Kbs (office); 512 Kbs (business); 1 Mbs (only available in Rangoon and heavily restricted).



Burma telephone lines and Internet connection

All communication services are operated under the management of Myanmar Post and Telecommunication. Telephone service is directly under the control of MPT. Myanmar Post and Telecommunication is recognized by the government as the sole sales agent and maintenance operator of all telephone lines and Internet connections throughout the country.

By 2008, the number of installed telephone lines reached 1 million, but some 500,000 persons remain on the waiting list for landline installation. However, the necessary investment of several million dollars seems too steep. Compared with regional countries, political unrest in Burma has impaired progress by blocking the needed foreign investments. At the end of 2008, 6,000 villages across Burma remained without telephone connection.

Mobile networks are planned to be installed extensively as microwave stations are being constructed. There are currently about 30 microwave stations in Rangoon. Nonetheless, several people remain in queue to receive mobile phones. A scheme to introduce cheaper mobile phones did not succeed in significantly raising the number of legal users.

In 2010, CDMA will be sold and usable in Rangoon, Mandalay and Naypyitaw at a rate of 500,000 kyat. There are about 500,000 mobile phone users in Burma, sharing 200,000 phones. Three percent of the Rangoon population has mobile phone access. A strong mobile phone market can be shaped if phones can be bought at reasonable prices and in reasonable geographic proximity. Currently GSM prepaid cards are available at increments of ten and twenty dollars. Although CDMA $50 cards are available in Rangoon, sales are not great because of high charges per call, frequent failure and the high cost of obtaining a unit. Rumors are presently floating that as of 2010, GSM cards will also be refillable.

It is interesting that consumption of CDMA cards is not as great as was expected, even though they are available at 500,000 kyat. Rangoon provides the bulk of consumers


Fiber optic

Burma’s principal fiber optic cable route comes from the Andaman Sea and lands at Pyapon, before connecting with landlines. From Pyapon to Hanthawaddy Exchange, the fiber cable passes under the Ngawon, Pathein and Yangon (Rangoon) Rivers. To date, the Hanthawaddy Exchange serves as an important Internet connection gate for the entire country. However, Yadanarbon Teleport is building a gateway and will control all incoming and outgoing Internet communication.

MPT officials are sent to India and South Korea to learn advanced communication technology. Upon return, they teach their newly acquired knowledge to officials at the School of Communication situated in the lower block of Pazundaung, Rangoon. Nonetheless, fiber cables meant to connect Naypyitaw have thus far encountered continued obstacles - including the cultivation of crops and destruction of the cable by locals under the cover of night. Owing to this reason, in late 2007 the vicinity around the route of the fiber cable was fenced off for security reasons and landowners compensated. Necessary equipment for construction of the fiber cable is typically ordered directly from Alalibab.com. During the ADSL and ADSL 2 sales, technologies used were received from Korea and India, respectively.

In 2009 a Burma-China high-speed fiber cable route was completed linking Kunming and the Yadanarbon Cyber City. There are also routes from Rangoon to Thaton to Bangkok and from Rangoon to Chiang Rai. However, these links have not raised the domestic connection speed.

Myanmar Post and Telecommunication will set up a national gateway server by Yadanarbon Teleport and will control all principal Internet connection service as of 2010.

Internet security and the banning of sites

Although some pornographic and political websites were originally banned, regulations were initially eased. In 2001, for example, Internet users had to register for Internet usage, but that restriction was lifted in 2003. However, after Bagan Cyber Tech started business, the number of sites blocked by Internet Service Providers (ISP) was increased. Bagan Cyber Tech was better known than MPT for its blocking activities. All explicit porn sites were blocked and political sites were inaccessible. Although the blocking of Internet sites continued from 2004 to 2006 - and increased with the political unrest of 2007, some sites blocked by Bagan Cyber Tech, such as Blogger.com, have been accessible by using the MPT connection service. Before Bagan Cyber Tech was transferred to MPT, the Myanmar Computer Federation issued a set of 20 rules, with Myanmar Computer Federation and Myanmar Infotech issuing PAC licenses for Public Information Centers.

Internet users are aware of their Internet security because they assume MPT and Bagan Cyber Tech/Myanmar Teleport block various sites and track data transfer. In 2009, according to unofficial analysis, 65 percent of Internet users discarded their data routes and used techniques or programs to make IP addresses untraceable.

Both MPT and Bagan Cyber Tech/Myanmar Teleport operated all Internet connections from the Hanthawaddy gateway, including mirror and firewall servers maintained at a main office near Myanmar Infotech. Russian and Chinese Technicians were hired as consultants in server modification projects.

Currently, some foreign technicians are appointed to work in the main office of Myanmar Teleport and Russian and Chinese technicians are jointly working in construction projects at Yadanarbon Cyber City. Further, in 2009, Israeli technicians installed National Gateway in Yadanarbon Cyber City.

Installations in Yadanarbon Teleport are nearly finished. The possibility of blocking and monitoring Internet usage could be increased because all Internet connectivity will be controlled through Yadanarbon Teleport.