61 Telecom Landscape Out of 124 MEs interviewed as part of this study, 57 MEs had their own phone. This chapter will describe the mobile usage by these MEs in all the five locations, reasons for using it, ways of acquiring SIM cards and phone, their monthly expenditure on phone and the alternative means of communication used by those who did not own a phone. 5.1 ACQUIRING SIM CARDS A year ago, MPT started distributing low cost (MMK 1500) SIM cards through a lucky draw. In every quarter, SIM cards were sent to the quarter leader who then distributed it to the people of his quarter after a lucky draw. At any time in the month one could apply for a SIM card through a lucky draw, along with the copy of his or her family registration card, national ID-card and two passport size photographs. A person could apply only once with one family registration card. All the applicants were given lucky draw numbers at the time of applying for the SIM card. One would get the SIM card based on this number. So, suppose someone’s number is 116, that means he/she would have to wait until the 115 people before him got the SIM. Once someone won the SIM card he/she could not apply again. The SIM cards distributed through the lucky draw could be both GSM and CDMA as mentioned by Khine (head of 10 families, Mawlamying). To inform people about the lucky draw he hired a man who made the announcement using a loud speaker, giving out information about the date, time and place of the lucky draw. To be fair and honest, Khine, used to hire two girls to host this lucky draw. Another respondent interviewed Naung (the bamboo mat maker, Naypidaw), however, felt that some people gave extra money to the quarter leader to pick out their names in the lucky draw. Khine, head of ten families Most of the MEs interviewed had either acquired their SIM card in the lucky draw or bought them from their friends. For instance, Laura, a banana seller from Yangon got SIM in the lucky draw which her parents applied back at home and sent to her via relatives. Chan’s (strawberry seller, Yangon) brother won a SIM in the lucky draw and gave him two months back. Thiri (Potter, Nay Pyi Taw) won a SIM card in lucky draw 3-4 months ago and gave to her sister. Whenever she had to call she used the phone. Thet (wood sculptor, Mandalay) bought his handset and SIM card from his friend. He spent MMK 150,000 ($150) on a SIM card and MMK 30,000 ($30) on the phone. “Some people use mobile so I also wanted to use.” Thuya (gasoline seller, Mandalay) acquired the handset and SIM free from his monk friend, who won it in the lucky draw. Zaw (tea shop owner, Manda Zaw, tea shop owner in Mandalay