John Ure
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9789622099029
- eISBN:
- 9789882207486
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Hong Kong University Press
- DOI:
- 10.5790/hongkong/9789622099029.003.0020
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, South and East Asia
This chapter examines the telecommunications sector in Myanmar. Strict adherence to ideology and commercial self-interest, in the guises of “national security” and military-controlled ...
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This chapter examines the telecommunications sector in Myanmar. Strict adherence to ideology and commercial self-interest, in the guises of “national security” and military-controlled state-enterprises, has confined access to telecommunications to a few. A World Bank report of 1995 notes the general lack of private access to physical infrastructure, including telecommunications, and how this skews foreign investment towards joint ventures with the state. Public telecom facilities, fixed and wireless, continue to be state-owned and controlled by Myanmar Posts and Telecommunications (MPT). Under the 1989 State-Owned Economic Enterprise Law, part of the Open Door policy, telecommunication facilities and services were the sole right of the government, but government-private sector joint ventures were permitted. Other laws which impact the telecom sector are the Computer Science Development Law enacted in 1996 and the Electronic Transaction Law which took effect in April 2004.Less
This chapter examines the telecommunications sector in Myanmar. Strict adherence to ideology and commercial self-interest, in the guises of “national security” and military-controlled state-enterprises, has confined access to telecommunications to a few. A World Bank report of 1995 notes the general lack of private access to physical infrastructure, including telecommunications, and how this skews foreign investment towards joint ventures with the state. Public telecom facilities, fixed and wireless, continue to be state-owned and controlled by Myanmar Posts and Telecommunications (MPT). Under the 1989 State-Owned Economic Enterprise Law, part of the Open Door policy, telecommunication facilities and services were the sole right of the government, but government-private sector joint ventures were permitted. Other laws which impact the telecom sector are the Computer Science Development Law enacted in 1996 and the Electronic Transaction Law which took effect in April 2004.