Final Report
Chapter 3 Development Status and Problem in ICT Sector
Myanmar were about 609 thousand including international circuit and 544 thousand, respectively,
and the total number of telephone subscribers was 6,040 thousand. In addition, the density of fixed
phones and mobile phones were 0.99% and 8.90%, respectively. Because the fixed phone density in
2001 was 0.65%, it only increased 1.7 times in 10 years, whereas the mobile phone density
increased 178 times from 0.05%. It is understood that the utilization of mobile phones is expanding
rapidly.
As seen in the figures in the above table, it is understood that along with rapid diffusion of
SIM card, diffusion of smart phone is starting and number of internet users are also increasing
rapidly. (refer to para. 3.3.2)
On the other hand, when it is compared with neighbor ASEAN countries, the density of fixed
phones, mobile phones, and the Internet are all the lowest among these neighbor countries.
Especially as for mobile phones, the density of each country exceeds 100% whereas the density of
Myanmar stays at 8.9%.
Table 3.3-2 Telephone density and Internet in ASEAN countries (2012)
Fixed phone
Mobile phone
Country
subscriber
Fixed phone
subscriber
Mobile phone
Internet
name
number
density (%)
number
density (%)
density (%)
(subscriber)
(subscriber)
Cambodia
584,475
4.04
19,105,115
131.96
4.94
Laos
112,000
1.76
6,492,000
101.85
10.75
Malaysia
4,588,900
15.65
41,324,700
140.94
65.80
Singapore
1,989,500
37.85
8,063,000
153.40
74.18
Thailand
6,391,030
9.14
84,075,036
120.29
26.50
Viet Nam
10,191,049
11.36
134,066,000
149.41
39.49
3,939,000
4.08
103,000,000
106.77
36.24
37,982,855
15.52
281,963,665
115.20
15.36
70,933
17.18
469,740
113.77
60.72
604,464
0.99
5,437,450
8.90
1.07
Philippines
Indonesia
Brunei
Myanmar
Source：http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/statistics/
Under the above, situation in Myanmar will become remarkable change due to the President
message that telephone density is become 80% by the year 2016 in addition to the price down of
SIM card, the privatization of telecommunication sector is accelerating in 2013.
In the event of setting the target of telephone density at 80%, telecommunication sector in
Myanmar is facing big challenges. Table 3.3-3 shows the period of reaching 80% density from 10%
in ASEAN countries. It is understood that average period of reaching 80% density is around 6 years
except the case of Viet Nam. Myanmar is trying to achieve it by 4 years by utilizing the private
investment, even in the insufficient infrastructures conditions in suburban and rural areas.
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