Digitalizing Myanmar: Connectivity Developments in Political Transitions – Andrea Calderaro 1. Introduction Following decades of isolation, Myanmar is rapidly developing its telecommunication infrastructures and related policy framework. Although the process has just started, the list of both infrastructural and policy challenges is certainly long. Based on data obtained through fieldwork and interviews,1 as well as by tracing the history of telecom reform, this paper will discuss: 1) opportunities and concerns for citizens related to the implementation of a national digital telecommunication infrastructure; 2) the connectivity building process in relation to “best practices” in telecom reform; and 3) the role of actors, both international and domestic, involved in this process. 2. Context According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Myanmar has the second-lowest number of internet users and mobile subscribers in the world, followed only by North Korea. In 2011, the ITU reported an internet penetration rate of 0.98% and 1.3 million mobile subscribers, representing 2.3% of the population. These mobile users subscribed to the only mobile company active in the country, which, together with its subsidiaries, is-controlled by the state-owned Myanmar Post and Telecommunications (MPT).2 Traveling in Myanmar reveals that the observed telecommunications reality varies significantly from the official data available about internet infrastructure and mobile penetration. In cities such as Yangon, Mandalay, and Bagan, internet and free WiFi are available, and mobile phone shops are multiplying rapidly. Although SIM cards are still costly and accessible only to a small portion of the population, the latest smartphones are widely used. Despite recent telecommunications improvements, Myanmar has only begun to build its connectivity. It is expected that obstacles will continue to emerge as work progresses. For example, much of the infrastructure building will occur in Myanmar’s vast rural territory, which is rife with landmines. Armed groups This research is based on field work conducted since August 2013, interviews with actors from mobile operators and international and domestic civil society organizations. 2 ITU Global ICT Statistics: http://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Statistics/Pages/stat/default.aspx 1 2