Surging prices of mobile data internet in Myanmar are creating significant challenges for online learners and businesses reliant on internet access.
Previously, 15,000 MMK would buy 30GB of mobile data to be used over a month, but now the same amount only buys 16GB over a month. This is posing significant challenges to online learners, according to a woman taking an online course in Ywangan Township, Shan state.
She said: “There is no Wi-Fi network in our village, so we rely on mobile data for internet access. I need it to study my daily online courses. Previously, I could get 30 GB for 15,000 MMK, but now I only get 16 GB for the same price. The internet connection is also poor. When I use the Zoom app for studying, the connection is unstable, and I often get disconnected. I’m not wealthy, but I still want to study. However, with these rising mobile data costs, I’m at risk of going broke.”
The junta has also introduced strict online censorship and is also blocking sites. People feel unsafe using the internet and they have to use VPNs (virtual private networks) to access many apps and websites, she added.
There are four mobile operators in Myanmar—MPT, Ooredoo, ATOM, and the junta-owned MyTel. Their mobile data prices have all risen steeply. Wi fi is only available in major cities.
A MyTel user said that previously, 3 GB of mobile data could be purchased for 1,000 MMK, but now the same amount only buys 480MB of data.
He said to Shan Herald: “Previously, 3 GB could be bought for 1,000 MMK, but now only 480 MB can be obtained for the same amount. Even with careful usage to avoid wasting data, it still costs about 2,000 MMK per day. Sometimes, even just browsing the internet casually, the phone bill runs out, and I haven’t even used much of the internet yet.”
He said that currently, he spends about 10,000 MMK a week to access the internet and even after paying that much the network quality is poor and accessing daily news in real time is often hard.
Since the coup, the junta has cracked down on internet freedom and banned many apps, including popular social media platforms like Facebook. The only way to access such apps now is by using a VPN. The junta has also been tracking political activists online and then arresting them.
The junta cuts the internet in regions where fighting is ongoing. This makes it a lot harder for displaced people and others in those areas to access healthcare and other essential relief services.
Previously in December 2021 the junta forced internet providers to double the cost of mobile data. In January 2022 it increased taxes on SIM cards and internet service providers, bringing in a 20,000 MMK commercial tax on SIMs and a 15 percent tax on internet service providers’ income.
