Communication

Telephone: IDD is available to the main cities. Country code: 95. For emergencies, dial 199 (police), 191 (fire) and 192 (ambulance). There is a limited public internal service. Only larger cities can be dialled direct from within Myanmar; smaller towns still use manual switchboards and callers need to ask the operator to connect them to a specific town operator. The Central Telephone and Telegraph (CTT) office on the corner of Pansodan and Mahabandoola Streets is the only public place in the country where international telephone calls can be conveniently arranged. The office is open Mon-Fri 0800-1600 and weekends and holidays 0900-1400.

 

Mobile phones: Fees are high and coverage limited. All visitors who want to use communication devices such as mobile phones and receivers must first apply for permission from the Government of the Union of Myanmar. Without prior permission granted, mobile phones will be temporarily held by Customs on arrival.

 

Internet: There are a few Internet cafes, but access to many free international e-mail services is blocked. All Internet use is monitored by the government and is usually expensive.

 

If Internet connections at hotels are vital for you during your visit to Myanmar, please advise your Focus Asia travel consultant.

 

Regular Mail: Service to Europe takes up to one week and letter forms are quicker than ordinary letters. To ensure despatch, it is advisable to go to the post office personally to obtain a certificate of posting, for which a small fee is charged.