Myanmar to Have Seven Digital Numbe

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  Myanmar to Have Seven Digital Numbers with Cellular Phones


Xinhua, Rangoon, 1 November 2000.     Myanmar will have two more digits
preceding their existing five-digit numbers with CDMA cellular phones in
the wake of increasing use of them, official newspaper The New Light of
Myanmar reported Wednesday.

Quoting an announcement of the sole state-run Myanma Posts and
Telecommunications, the report said these two more digits will be added
to such phones used in four major areas in the country covering Yangon,
Mandalay, Mogok and Sagaing.

The new seven-digit call system will come into effect beginning mid- night
on Saturday, the report added.

There has been at least 3,000 lines of CDMA cellular phone system in
operation in Myanmar since its introduction in 1997.

Meanwhile, Myanmar is also introducing Global System for Mobiles (GSM)
cellular phone system and is striving to make 70,000 lines and 30,000 lines
respectively available in Yangon and Mandalay.

According to official statistics, there are so far more than 225,000 
fixed-line
telephones and about 10,000 cellular mobiles in Myanmar.

The introduction of the GSM system is expected to, in three years' time,
increase by 50 percent phones in use in the country, currently estimated
to stand at 0.44 to 0.66 per hundred people.

Micro-wave links were also introduced in the country in 1995.