Telenor to go live in Myanmar on Sept. 27

Telenor said it will officially launch commercial services in Myanmar on Sept. 27, when it will become the third operator to provide mobile services in the country.

Services will be rolled out first in the second-largest city of Mandalay, with Nay Pyi Taw and Yangon next in line. Telenor said it will then expand into more towns, villages and rural areas.

Rival Ooredoo launched commercial services in three cities at the beginning of August, and said it gained 1 million subscribers in just three weeks amid extremely strong demand for its services.

Meanwhile incumbent operator Myanma Posts & Telecommunications (MPT) is also gearing up to compete with its two new rivals, and has said it anticipates adding "millions of new users by 2016." The company is modernising and expanding its network by deploying new core switching infrastructure from U.S.-based company Dialogic.

Telenor said its services will initially be sold via 1,500 outlets in Mandalay, with services set to be available in more than 12,000 outlets "within weeks". The Norway-based operator added that it is committed to bringing mobile connectivity to more than 90 per cent of the population within five years.

"It is rewarding for Telenor Group to be able to contribute to the rapid development of a nation by providing essential infrastructure that will drive connectivity and new opportunities for Myanmar. Telenor is excited to introduce products and services that will include everyone in the country's digital future, and fuel innovation and entrepreneurship," said Jon Fredrik Baksaas, president and CEO of Telenor Group.

Telenor plans to sell voice, data and value-added services over 2G and 3G technologies. A SIM card will cost 1500 kyat (€1.18/$1.5) and will be available along with top-up cards at all points of sale. Customers can call international numbers and roam when travelling abroad. Calls to any number in Myanmar will cost 25 kyat per minute.

"Opening in Mandalay is a major milestone for Telenor Group and for Telenor in Myanmar. We made a commitment to launch affordable and accessible mobile services within eight months of receiving our license. By opening up our network in Mandalay on Saturday we are taking the first step to contributing towards providing everyone in Myanmar with high-quality connectivity," said Petter-Børre Furberg, Telenor's CEO in Myanmar. "I am confident that we are entering the market with a competitive and attractive offering both for voice and mobile data."

For more:
- see this Telenor release

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