Designing e-Government for the Poor - Tanzania Development ...

Myanmar
Title: Connecting rural Myanmar
Proposer: Mr. Htun Aung, Chief Engineer, Myanmar Posts and
Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications, Post
and Telegraphs
Country: Myanmar
Date: March 2005
I. INTRODUCTION
As a signatory of the e-ASEAN Framework Agreement, Myanmar is
set on establishing connectivity and compatibility with the ASEAN Information
Infrastructure. As part of the Agreement, an e-Application Committee
under e-National Task Force has deemed the development of egovernment
a priority.
Myanmar Posts and Telecommunications (MPT), the sole provider of
telecommunication services in Myanmar, has been striving to fulfill the
Universal Service Obligations (USO). In recent years, the Internet has
become a necessity because it enables instant access to information, efficient
transactions, saves time, and reduces costs. However, lack of access
to the Internet is causing a digital divide among nations, as well as within
the people of a nation. Therefore, MPT is considering the provision of data
services. In urban areas, Internet access has been provided with only a
slight modification of existing digital equipment, but it is much more
difficult to expand Internet access into rural areas. People living in rural
areas cannot afford high connection fees and tariff rates, thus providing an
Internet connection will be costly.
II. ISSUES
The majority of long distance facilities in Myanmar are microwave
radio systems. The systems are well suited to the difficult terrain conditions,
and serve to connect cities and towns, However, bandwidth is
limited, and spur routes into rural areas are not efficient. Recent decreases
in the price of fiber optic cable and system have helped to address the
backbone bandwidth requirements. Advancements in mobile and wireless
local loop (WLL) technology, and decreases in the price of wireless
networking devices have resulted in the installation of a WAN, and
efficient data services.
III. THE PROPOSED PROJECT
A. Objective and scope
Myanmar has recognized the potential of e-government to improve
efficiency and transparency in the public sector, and launched a plan to
expand e-government into rural areas. More than 70 per cent of the
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