A consortium of companies consisting of Sumitomo Corporation, NEC Corporation and NTT Communications Corporation have built communications infrastructure for the Republic of the Union of Myanmar that improves internet connectivity and supports greater economic development. The consortium is providing operational support for the communications infrastructure until mid-January 2014, when the project is scheduled for completion. To commemorate the completion of the construction, a handover ceremony will be held in the capital Naypyidaw.
A consortium of companies consisting of Sumitomo Corporation, NEC Corporation and NTT Communications Corporation have built communications infrastructure for the Republic of the Union of Myanmar that improves internet connectivity and supports greater economic development. The consortium is providing operational support for the communications infrastructure until mid-January 2014, when the project is scheduled for completion. To commemorate the completion of the construction, a handover ceremony will be held in the capital Naypyidaw.
The construction of the communications infrastructure was conducted under an agreement between the consortium and Myanmar's Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in support of the country's “Emergency communications network improvement plan.” The plan capitalizes on $16,8 million in Official Development Assistance that was granted to the government of Myanmar by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, an independent administrative agency, following requests from the Myanmar government for assistance from the Japanese government. The first infrastructure project in Myanmar, that capitalizes on ODA from Japan, since Japan's adoption of a new economic cooperation policy towards Myanmar in 2012.
The development of the network aims to improve Myanmar's communications infrastructure to a level that rivals that of developed markets, while promoting economic revitalization and improving the quality of people's daily lives. This infrastructure will contribute to smooth telecommunications during the 27th Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) which will be held in Myanmar in December 2013. As Myanmar's international presence continues to increase, illustrated by events such as its selection to be the 2014 chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the consortium aims to continue to support the development of Myanmar's communications infrastructure.
Primary features of the communications infrastructure include the following:
- High-speed, high-capacity core optical transmission network capable of transmitting 30Gbps between the cities of Yangon, Mandalay and Naypyidaw
- LTE communications, fixed-line telephones and optical transmission networks capable of 10Gbps Internet transmissions within each city
- 50 LTE base-stations deployed within the three cities
- Introduction of state-of-the-art technologies within the communications bureau that include virtualized Evolved Packet Core (vEPC)* virtual mobile network solutions and DW7000 optical transmission equipment
- Infrastructure that supports the simultaneous use of services for approximately 40,000 LTE communication subscribers, roughly 1.5 million fixed-line telephone subscribers and about 1 million Internet communication subscribers
- Introduction of new backbone routers for Internet backbone duplication in Yangon, Mandalay and Naypyidaw
- Installation of international Internet connection points in Yangon and Naypyidaw
- Expanded functions and improved operations for Myanmar's domestic ISPs