The two winning bidders for a nationwide telecommunications licence in Myanmar – Telenor and Ooredo – have announced mobile pricing plans and network rollout targets over five years.
In a press release issued by Myanmar’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Telenor has committed to nationwide geographical coverage of 83 per cent for voice, and 78 per cent for data, after five years. The Nordic operator is deploying an HSPA and “LTE-ready” network.
Telenor has also pledged more than 70,000 points of sale for SIM cards, and more than 95,000 points of sale for top-up purchases, after five years.
Moreover, its pre-paid voice charges, during peak hours, will not be higher than MMK25 ($0.03) per minute (excluding taxes), while SIM cards will have a price cap of MMK1,500.
Telenor’s voice and data services are slated to start Q2 2014. Mobile financial and healthcare services, as well as services tailored to the agriculture industry, are also planned.
Qatar-headquartered Ooredoo has committed to geographical coverage of 84 per cent (both for voice and data) after five years. Its voice tariffs during peak hours will be no more than MMK45 per minute (for calls to another operator) and up to MMK35 for calls among Ooredoo subscribers. SIM cards are to be priced at MMK 1,500 or below.
Ooredoo has further pledged to create a large distribution network encompassing 240,000 points of sale for SIM cards, and 720,000 points of sale for top-ups, after five years.
And like Telenor, Ooerdoo has committed to a range of mobile money and health services, as well as an information service and portal for agriculture market prices, weather forecasts, and equipment rental services.
In related news, the Telenor Group announced it had appointed Petter Furberg as chief executive of Telenor Myanmar. Previously, Furberg was chief financial Officer of Dtac, Thailand’s second-largest mobile operator, of which Telenor is a majority shareholder.
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