STATE-RUN Myanma Post and Telecommunications (MPT) has reduced monthly charges for its satellite communication services by 75 percent.
According to Global Technology Co., Ltd, MPT’s local service provider, monthly access charges for MPT satellite terminals have been reduced since the end of July.

Monthly charges for Class-A access have been reduced from FEC240 to FEC60, Class-B from FEC360 to FEC90 and Class-C from FEC480 to FEC120.

An MPT official said the decision to reduce costs had been made to allow more users to access the system.

The reduced fees apply only to internet services. Telephone charges remain unchanged.

Satellite terminals can be used anywhere in the country and users can access phone lines and broadband internet simultaneously.

The smaller satellite disk terminal is 1.2 metres in diameter and costs K5.4 million, while the larger one – 1.8 metres across – is K6 million. An activation fee of FEC200 and monthly charges also apply.

Connection speeds vary from 128 kilobytes per second (kbps) to 1000kbps depending on the customer’s plan.

According to MPT statistics, there were more than 5000 satellite terminal users in 2006.