MYANMA Posts and Telecommunications (MPT) under the Ministry of Communications, Posts and Telegraphs is seeking the cooperation of private companies to provide high-speed communication lines to internet users.

State-run MPT is now the sole source of new internet services in the country since Myanmar Teleport (formerly known as Bagan Cyber Tech) stopped providing new service lines in 2004. MPT has now enlisted several companies to act as resellers of high-speed service lines.

One of these is Myanmar Info-Tech, a consortium of ICT companies that has been working to implement nationwide projects. It announced last month that it would start providing high-speed asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) service to private users.

“Before, the group supplied ADSL service only to those who were establishing government-certified internet cafés,” said an announcement released by Myanmar Info Tech last month. “Now, the new ADSL connection services are available for individual and corporate users too.”

The announcement said the service is available to anyone with proximity to the main connection lines, for an installation fee of K2.4 million, annual fee of FEC60 and monthly fee of FEC30 to FEC200 depending on the type of account.

Local ICT company Global Technology also announced last month that it would start providing ADSL connections in Yangon, Mandalay and Taunggyi at prices that have not yet been determined.

The company’s marketing manager, U Nyein Chan Htay, said it would be the first to provide ADSL service to Taunggyi.

A third company, Myanmar World Distribution, also announced that it would start providing ADSL service to private users but few details were known at press time.

Meanwhile, Global Technology and Myanmar World Distribution said they would be the local service providers for MPT’s new wireless satellite internet service, which will use a Thaicom3 satellite to bring internet access to remote areas of Myanmar at an initial cost of about K5 million.