Border News Agency
Ponnakyun, July 17.
The Arakan People’s Revolutionary Government has reportedly set the internet usage fee at 2,000 kyats per hour starting today, July 17, according to local residents.
Residents say that the internet usage fees previously varied by location, but the authorities have now standardized the rate to 2,000 kyats per hour across all areas.
“This morning, I used the internet to make a call to my family abroad. When I bought an internet access card, I was told that the one-hour usage card, which used to cost 5,000 kyats, has now been reduced to 2,000 kyats starting today,” a woman from Ponnakyun Township told Border News Agency.
Previously, internet usage fees varied by township 5,000 kyats per hour in Ponnakyun and Kyauktaw, 10,000 kyats per hour in Mrauk-U, and 3,000 kyats per hour in Myaybon.
As a result, since the Arakan government has standardized the pricing across all areas, people say they are satisfied that everyone including those from low-income backgrounds now has equal access to internet usage.
“In the past, we had to pay 5,000 to 10,000 kyats for just one hour of internet use, so we couldn’t afford to use it for long. But now, anyone can use it for a much longer time. Previously, we had to pay 10,000 kyats for just two hours, but now we can use it for five hours with only 2,000 kyats. We welcome this price reduction and feel relieved, as it really helps ease the burden people were facing,” said a local resident from Ponnakyun Township.
However, people say that while the number of users has increased, there are still too few service locations available. They expressed a desire for more secure and reliable internet access points to be set up.
“Although the set price has been reduced, there are still issues with network congestion and frequent disconnections during peak usage times. To prevent this, it would be better if user access were limited and regulated accordingly,” said a resident from Kyauktaw Township.
While internet service fees have been lowered, ordinary phone call rates remain at 1,000 kyats per minute, according to reports.
Because of this, people are requesting that the regular phone call rate be set at 500 kyats per minute.
“Being able to see each other over the internet and talk with family abroad is convenient. However, on busy days when the connection is poor, I don’t want to wait, so sometimes I use a regular phone call instead. It’s usually on a turn-taking basis. The connection is good, but the rate of 1,000 kyats per minute seems a bit high. I wish it could be reduced to 500 kyats per minute,” said a local resident from Pauktaw.
Since the start of the Arakan final decisive battle, the Myanmar junta has cut off phone and internet lines, and the Arakan government has been providing basic services in response.
Because of these cut-offs, residents say their daily social lives and economic activities have been severely impacted.
The majority of the Arakan people rely on financial support sent by family members living abroad or in other areas, and they also place orders for goods. Therefore, having reliable phone and internet connections is essential, they say.
To maintain this communication, residents report that they have to bear all the travel expenses and spend time traveling just to access these communication services.
Because of this, people are requesting that the Arakan People’s Revolutionary Government expand and provide new communication service points across all townships to ensure everyone can access them.
To improve communication for the Arakan people, Starlink devices have been purchased and installed, and internet services are being provided for a fee.
