VietNamNet Bridge – The Vietnamese group Viettel has received a license to develop the fourth mobile network in Myanmar, after creating a joint venture with a number of local businesses.

According to Nikkei, the Myanmar government has granted the license to establish a mobile network for a joint venture between Viettel of Vietnam with a group of local companies. This group comprises 11 companies, including Yatanarpon Teleport (YTP), a large Internet service provider in Myanmar.

Myanmar officially opened the mobile market in mid-2014, after a long time monopolized by the state-owned group of Myanmar Posts and Telecommunications (MPT). Since then, mobile charges in this country fell by a half.

Earlier, in the bidding for a license in 2014, Viettel was on the shortlist with eight other networks. However, the winners are Ooredoo of Qatar and Norway's Telenor. After that MPT made a joint venture with two Japanese partners - KDDI and Sumitomo Corporation - to enhance its competitiveness.

Viettel is the 2nd representative of Vietnam to participate in Myanmar's telecom market. The licence may be granted later this year.

In mid-2015, FPT Corporation is the first foreign enterprise licensed by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology of Myanmar to develop telecom infrastructure and supply telecommunications services.

Thu Ly