Viettel’s Myanmar operator Mytel said on Thursday that it has restored International and mobile connectivity following last week's 7.7 magnitude earthquake, although questions remain over how much ordinary users can access it in the midst of reported internet shutdowns by the ruling military junta.
Recovery and rescue efforts are ongoing since the quake struck on March 28 near Mandalay, with the death toll reaching 3,145 as of Thursday, according to the Associated Press. State television broadcaster MRTV reported that 4,589 people were injured and 221 others were missing.
In a press statement, Mytel said that more than 2,100 base stations were damaged by the quake around Mandalay and Naypyitaw, which are reported to be the hardest hit areas. By April 1, over 90% of its mobile network was up and running again, and international connectivity was fully restored, the statement said.
Mytel also said it has been coordinating with international rescue teams to provide critical communications. The telco said it has supplied nearly 1,000 SIM cards to responders, along with 20,000 additional SIMs and 100 Wi-Fi hot spots to streamline coordination. Mytel said it deployed five extra base stations and optimised 46 existing sites to boost connectivity for field hospitals and search and rescue operations in Mandalay and Naypyitaw.
The operator also said it has provided over 4 million customers free access to 1GB of data, 300 call minutes and 300 SMS messages to reconnect with loved ones and access vital updates. With power outages still widespread, Mytel also said it set up over 500 mobile charging stations across affected regions.
It's unclear the extent to which residents can make use of the offer. On March 31, the Myanmar Internet Project (MIP) – an advocacy group documenting internet shutdowns in the country following the 2021 military coup – issued a joint statement with local and international rights groups accusing the military junta of imposing communications blackouts, including internet shutdowns, which were preventing people from coordinating with each other and calling for help.
The junta has a history of frequently imposing internet shutdowns during its ongoing civil war with rebel pro-democracy forces and ethnic militias. In the province of Sagaing, where the earthquake’s epicentre is located, the junta ordered 94 shutdowns in 2024 alone, according to MIP.
The March 31 statement from MIP demanded that the junta restore all internet and communications services to ensure full access, and called for the military to be “held accountable for all loss of life and suffering caused by these various internet restrictions.”
A statement from MIP on Thursday reported that telcos in Myanmar are providing free services for phone calls and text messages between operators, but that “while telecommunications services are available in one area, it has been difficult to use them in other areas.”
The group urged telecoms operators to provide free assistance by enabling phone calls between any operators.
