New broadband! The moderator wonders what censorship, blocking, and security measures will be applied.
[him] moderator
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Tay Za Launches Broadband Service in Rangoon
By THE IRRAWADDY
Thursday, August 26, 2010
RANGOON — Burmese businessman Tay Za's E-Lite company has been granted a license for an optical fiber broadband network service, called FTTx, which will offer high speed access to Internet, television and telephone communication, according to the company staff.
While Tay Za's company has reportedly been granted access to sell FTTx services in Rangoon with the special permission of Thein Zaw, the Minister of Communications, Posts and Telegraphs, the broadband concession in Mandalay has been obtained by Red Link and Fortune International companies.
“We are working to launch the FTTx service in Rangoon. The public can access it soon,” said an E-Lite company staff member.
He said those who apply for the broadband service will have access to high-speed Internet, multiple television channels—movies, sports, music, news—and telephonic services through a telephone line connection.
“TV channels will include both free and paid ones. The Internet speed is 30 Mbps, so it will be much faster that the current limit. As for the telephone, it is clear and similar to a land line worth about two millions kyat (US $2,051),” said a staff member.
E-Lite has yet to announce the cost of the broadband service.
The Voice Weekly journal reported on Saturday that the Red Link and Fortune International companies will charge a 900,000 kyat ($923) installation fee and 30,000 to 100,000 kyat monthly, depending on the choice of services.
Red Link and Fortune International companies reportedly expect to sell 6,000 broadband connections in Mandalay.
The FTTx service was introduced in an IT and car exhibition held in Rangoon on Saturday through Monday. A total of 40 IT and car companies joined the exhibition.
A Rangoon-based IT technician said online services in Burma are much less developed compare to neighboring countries. The military regime's frequent attempt to cut off Internet connections under the pretext of political instability is one of the reasons that hinders the development of online services in the country, he said.
“Whoever does it, I welcome the improvement of online services in Burma. The more competition companies have, the cheaper service fees we will pay. I want the online services to reach a level with fees that everyone can access,” said the technician.
Apart from the FTTx service, E-Lite company has been cooperating with the Myanma Posts and Telecommunications in offering IT-related products, producing and selling mobile phones, and selling CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) phones for 500,000 kyat ($512) with pre-paid cards.
Tay Za is well known for his business ties with the regime which has provided him with opportunities in the areas of banking, airlines and other key enterprises. He is listed on the US and Western sanctions because of his involvement with the military junta.
http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=19310
