Internet in Myanmar

An example of a Telenor Myanmar SIM card

The Internet in Myanmar[a] has been available since 2000 when the first Internet connections were established. Beginning in September 2011, historically-pervasive levels of Internet censorship in Burma were significantly reduced. Prior to September 2011, the military government worked aggressively to limit and control Internet access through software-based censorship, infrastructure and technical constraints, and laws and regulations with large fines and lengthy prison sentences for violators.[1][2][3] In 2015, internet usage significantly increased to 12.6% with the introduction of faster mobile 3G internet by transnational telecommunication companies Telenor Myanmar[4] and Ooredoo Myanmar,[5] later joined by national Myanmar Post and Telecommunications(MPT).[6][7] [8][9] While the Internet situation in Myanmar has undergone change since its introduction in 2010 and reduction of censorship in 2011, laws such as the 2013 Telecommunications Law continue to restrict citizens from total freedom online.[10] Despite restrictions, internet penetration continues to grow across the country.

Following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, internet access was shut off daily between the hours of 1:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Social media networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp, Wikipedia and its related sister projects, international and local media, and the websites of anti-coup organizations (including the CRPH), were also banned by the ruling junta.

On 15 March 2021, the military completely shut off mobile internet access in Myanmar, and all internet access on 18 March.

Myanmar's top-level domain is '.mm'.[11]


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  1. ^ Martin, Steven; et al. (2002). Myanmar (Burma), 8th Ed. Lonely Planet Publications. ISBN 978-1-74059-190-4.
  2. ^ "Internet Services Tariff", Myanmar Posts and Telecommunications, Information Technology department, Ministry of Communications, Posts and Telegraphs, accessed 10 June 2011 Archived 20 April 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ "Internet Cafe in Myanmar" Archived 23 September 2023 at the Wayback Machine, Today in Myanmar, 13 February 2009
  4. ^ "ATOM". www.atom.com.mm. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  5. ^ "Ooredoo Myanmar: Mobile Data, Supernet, FTTH, M-pitesan". ooredoo.com.mm. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  6. ^ "MPT Myanmar | Moving Myanmar Forward". MPT (in Burmese). Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  7. ^ Calderaro, Andrea (1 May 2015). "Internet Governance Capacity Building in Post-Authoritarian Contexts. Telecom Reform and Human Rights in Myanmar". SSRN. doi:10.2139/ssrn.2686095. SSRN 2686095.
  8. ^ "Two Telecoms Race To Wire Myanmar". Forbes. Archived from the original on 23 September 2023. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  9. ^ "Myanmar Internet Usage and Telecommunications Reports". www.internetworldstats.com. Archived from the original on 7 September 2017. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  10. ^ "Myanmar". freedomhouse.org. 14 November 2017. Archived from the original on 11 April 2019. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  11. ^ "Country Code List: ISO 3166-1993 (E)". American National Standards Institute, Inc. Archived from the original on 23 September 2023. Retrieved 12 November 2007.