Myanmar is cracking down on using mobile phones illegally imported across border from some neighboring countries, local reports Sunday said.
Available in low cost and its coverage of wave signal within a radius of about 50 kilometers, such imported foreign mobile phones controlled by other sides of the border are widely and illegally used in some Myanmar border areas such as Muse and Tachilek in Shan state, Myitkyina in Kachin state and Myawaddy in Kayin state, according to the Newsweek journal.
The authorities warned that use of mobile phones in the country can only be granted by the Ministry of Communications, Posts and Telegraphs.
There has been over 140,000 mobile phones in Myanmar as of now since the 1990s when such phones were first introduced.
According to the state-run Myanmar Posts and Telecommunications, GSM (global system for mobile) phones in Myanmar can auto-roam 21 townships far up to the border areas also mainly covering Monywa, Mawlamyine, Bagan, Ngwesaung, Chaungtha, Taunggyi, Kyaingtong, Tachilek, Lashio and Muse in addition to Yangon and Mandalay.
Official statistics show that the number of various types of telephones in Myanmar has reached 513,300.
Of the total, mobile phones such as cellular, CDMA and GSM accounted for 146,321, while the auto fixed telephones remained at 303,228.
In Yangon alone, GSM phones stood at 81,000 in number.
Mobile phones were first introduced in Myanmar with cellular ones in 1993, the DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunication) and CDMA in 1997 and the GSM in 2002.
Meanwhile, Myanmar has planned to introduce 140,000 more GSM phones or double the present figures to facilitate communication links in the country, projecting to complete in the years ahead. The installation of the GSM phones covers more than 10 areas such as Myitkyina, Pakkokku, Shwebo, Tounggoo, Kawthoung, Myawaddy and Pha-an, and the project will extend to include more areas in Yangon, Mandalay and Pyin Oo Lwin, reports said.
Under the current population in Yangon which stands at 6 million now, there will be about one GSM phone per 40 persons in the near future, up from one GSM phone per 74 persons now, the authorities predicted.
The official figures indicate that there is vast development in the telecommunications but it is still far from meeting the demand of the consumers, businessmen and experts said.
Source: Xinhua
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