Telecoms & IT

Hailed as the last true telecoms greenfield in Asia, Myanmar’s communications sector has radically evolved in recent years. An impressive number of international companies – a total of 91 – competed for two operating licenses in 2013. Telecommunications development remains a fundamental pillar in the evolution of Myanmar’s economy, and it supports the development of the other sectors, particularly financial services. Network expansion initiatives will remain a dominant force behind foreign investment and job creation for the foreseeable future. Telecoms infrastructure spending is set to increase as border coverage grows and demand continues to rise. The growth of the IT sector has been partly overshadowed by the liberalisation of the telecoms industry. However, the arrival of major international telecoms players has opened up significant new opportunities for Myanmar’s expanding market. Yet this has also put some strain on the country’s internet capacity as a population of more than 51m gradually gains access to the web, mostly for the first time, on their mobile phones. This chapter contains interviews with U Sai Saw Lin Tun, Chairman, Myanmar Post and Telecoms; Liman Zhang, Managing Director, Huawei; and Philippe Luxcey, Managing Director, Apollo Towers Myanmar.