Due to the fact that civil servants are permitted to purchase mobile SIMs with monthly installment plans, there has been a broadening use of mobile phones among young people in Shan State, according to Northern Shan State civil servants sources.

“A SIM is sold for 250,000 Kyat ($ 278). If you cannot afford the whole amount, then you can pay 40,000 Kyat ($ 44) for down payment and then 10,000 ($ 11) per month thereafter. But, the plan is only for government employees and not for any other company employees. Company employees appear to have higher salary,” reported an educational civil servant.

Subsequent to the issuing of WCDMA and GSM mobile phones by the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, young people living in the capital and some big cities have been using mobile phone extensively. Nowadays, in the big cities, the phones are able to connect to 3G internet network, reported a young businessman.

“Because of the mobile phone are easier to get in the present day, there is a phone in almost every youngster’s hand. While they can also connect to internet by phone, the number of customers in internet cafés has been significantly dropping within these weeks. Although the broadband in the countryside areas are extremely slow compare to the speeding broadband in the big cities such as Yangon, Mandalay, and Nay Pyi Daw, the young people are glad to just have a phone to use,” says a university student from Lashio.

The current SIM usage charges 4 Kyat for 1 minute internet use, while the previous older WCDMA usage charges 4 Kyat per minute, for GSM 2 Kyat per minute, and local calls 50 Kyat per minute, added the young businessman.

From this early August, since the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications issued CDMA and GSM SIM to about every province, many local young people welcome with joys. The cheapest mobile handset can be purchased for minimum 30,000 Kyat ($ 33).

Cited from the News of Shan Herald: http://www.burmese.panglong.org/news/96-2008-08-03-06-49-23/3410--sim-.html Wednesday, 15 August 2012, 16:16