Myanmar-India optical fiber link project to complete next March

http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200812171233.htm


YANGON (Xinhua): A cross-border optical fiber link between Myanmar and India to boost information link is expected to be completed and operational by March next year, the local weekly Yangon Times journal reported Wednesday.

Under the Indian government loan, the project, which worths 7 million U.S. dollars, started in 2006 December.

The 640-kilometer-long Myanmar-India optical fiber link, which connects Indian's northeastern border town of Moreh and Myanmar's second largest city of Mandalay, passes through six cities of Tamu, Kampatwa, Kyi Gone, Shwebo, Monywa and Sagaing.

Along the fiber link, ADSL+2 system with 7,000 lines are being installed in 80 locations including Yangon, Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw, the report added.

The project was signed between the state-run Myanma Posts and Telecommunications (MPT) and the Telecommunications Consultants India Limited (TCIL) during then President APJ Abdul Kalam's state visit to Myanmar in March 2006.


According to the contract, MPT and TCIL agree to implement SDH/ STM 4 optical fiber link between the two cities and the ADSL system.

Meanwhile, in April this year similar link between Myawaddy ( Myanmar) and Maesot (Thailand) was established as part of the information superhighway network (ISN) project of the six-country Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS)-Economic Cooperation.

The Myanmar-Thai fiber optical link extends as angon-Hmawby- Bago-Kyaikhto-Tahton-Pha an-Kawkareik-Thingan Nyinaung-Myawaddy on the Myanmar side, while Maesot-Bangkok stands on the Thai side.

Those links on the two countries' respective sides have been in place, leaving the cross-border link between Myawaddy and Maesot is to be connected to complete the network.

Also in March this year, fiber link between Myanmar and China, built since April 2007 and involving China Telecom and Yunnan Telecom, was set up in Myanmar's border town of Muse also as part of the regional ISN project.

The Myanmar-China fiber optic link was built across China's Kunming and Myanmar's Muse with its link further extended to reach the commercial city of Yangon.