One of the first remarkable things to notice, when walking the streets of Yangon, are the ‘phone tables’ on the sidewalk. Every couple of meters, landline phones (for the young reader: really clumsy mobiles with a wire attached to it) on wobbly tables are effectively used as phone booths (young reader, here an image). Why?

We just moved here, to live and work for half a year. So a phone is required for the job and to stay in touch with home. In most countries in Asia we visited, mobiles are everywhere and SIM cards dirt cheap (less than $10). But not in one of the poorest nations in Asia: less than 3% of the Burmese has access to a mobile phone.

It is not only poverty. For a long time the military regime was totally fine with the people hardly being able to communicate. Sharing information with each other about soldiers attacking minorities for example. The first mobile services made available in 2001, costed over an incredible $5000 to set it up.

Last week I’ve been asking around in dozens of phone shops for SIM cards, but none could sell me one. Finally, yesterday a Burmese colleague got me one on the black market for $70. The only thing is: I can only call numbers in Burma and even than, half of the time it won’t connect.

Since two years the government is promoting reform, towards a more democratic and open Burma. Affordable communication is part of that plan. Last month the ministry of Information announced to allow international telecoms to bid on two new mobile licenses.

That is great news for those companies, that can enter such a big uncultivated market (population: 55 million), great news for the Burmese, who will finally be able to make a clear mobile call for a normal price and great news for the government, that will make lots of money selling those licenses. It seems only bad news for all those who now run a ‘phone table’ business.

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For the next 6 months, I'll write a 'Burma Impression' like this every week. Stay tuned!