STATE-OWNED Myanma Post and Telecommuni-cations last week announced the launch of prepaid SIM cards for 450MHz code division multiple access (CDMA) phones.

A senior official from MPT said the cards would be marketed by Central Marketing Co., Ltd, which also distributes one-time GSM prepaid cards for FEC20.

He said the prepaid CDMA cards would be available starting in early June at about 50 retailers in 30 towns throughout Myanmar, including Yangon and Mandalay. Those who wish to buy the cards must show original national registration cards or passports, and can only buy one card at a time.

U Sai Khin Maung Aye, the general manager of Central Marketing Company, said the cards will be sold for FEC 50 each, and buyers will get a 10-digit phone number that starts with 09-477 or 09-488.

He said calling charges would be deducted from the cards at a rate of FEC 0.05 a minute for incoming calls, FEC 0.30 a minute for local outgoing calls, FEC 0.90 a minute for outgoing calls to Thailand and Singapore, FEC 1.50 a minute for calls to other countries, and FEC 0.05 for outgoing SMS messages.

“These SIM cards will expire three months from the manufacturing date, so those going on the market now will expire at the end of August,” the MPT spokesperson said.

U Sai Khin Maung Aye added that the cards are only good for 60 days after the date that they are first used, and any unused balance will expire at that time.

“Even if a user doesn’t use all the value of the card within 60 days, the phone number will automatically close down when the deadline comes,” he said. “Users will have to buy a new prepaid SIM card when the old one expires because the balance on the cards can’t be topped up.”

He clarified that the new SIM cards were only for 450MHz CDMA phones and not for GSM phones.

“There have been rumours that FEC 50 GSM cards would be released, but consumers should be aware that these new cards will only work with 450MHz CDMA handsets and can only be used to send SMS messages to phones that use the same network,” he said.

MPT began permitting the use of 450MHz CDMA SIM cards in March 2008 for an initial installation fee of K1.5 million plus prepaid charges of K50,000.

The new prepaid SIM cards can be used in areas included in the 450MHz CDMA network, including Yangon, Bago, Ayeyarwady, Mandalay, Sagaing and Tanintharyi divisions, as well as Rakhine, Mon and Kayin states.