Myanmar to increase mobile penetration rate to 50%

YANGON—Myanmar will increase the number of mobile phone users to 50 percent of the population in the 2013-14 fiscal year from the current rate of 10 percent this year, according to Myanmar Post and Telecommunications (MPT).

Although the number of mobile phone users in Myanmar has increased rapidly in recent years, the mobile phone penetration rate remains very low, in proportion to the population.

MPT announced earlier that it would add 14 million mobile phones to the market by the 2015-16 fiscal year.

“Nowadays, things have happened a lot in the telecoms sector. And many changes will soon follow. Foreign telecoms companies will soon sell their services here. Local costumers will have options to choose from. MPT will work to increase the mobile phone penetration rate in the country,” said an MPT official.

Myanmar’s mobile penetration rate reached 10 percent of the population in the 2012-13 fiscal year. MPT expects it to reach as high as 85 percent during the 2015-16 fiscal year.

In recent years, MPT has gradually reduced the market price for mobile SIM cards, but the country is still a long way off from having everyone possess a mobile.

source: Eleven Myanmar

http://www.elevenmyanmar.com/national/4335-myanmar-to-increase-mobile-penetration-rate-to-50