Japanese pair close to inking MPT tie-up

Japanese firms KDDI and Sumitomo are likely to be selected to partner with Myanmar’s state-backed operator Myanmar Post and Telecommunication (MPT), Reuters writes citing Soe Kyu, Sumitomo’s deputy general manager in Myanmar. The two companies were jointly invited to ‘exclusive’ talks to partner with MPT as part of plans to modernise the telco to compete with new entrants to the market Ooredoo and Telenor, which were handed licences in July 2013 and are expected to launch services later this year. According to Kyu, the Japanese duo is expecting to a sign a partnership deal with MPT within a few months.