KDDI completes inaugural year of skills transfer for Myanmar Posts and Telecommunications

Source: KDDI. From left: KDDI Chairman Takashi Tanaka, the four graduating students from the first training cohort, and KDDI President Makoto Takahashi.

KDDI Corporation, the second-largest telecommunication service provider in Japan, has completed its first skills transfer initiative with Myanmar Posts and Telecommunications (MPT).

As smartphones come into widespread use in Myanmar, demand for social networking services (SNS), video sharing services and content use is increasing. KDDI, Sumitomo Corporation and MPT had set up telecommunications business operations in Myanmar together. 

MPT has been offering LTE+ high-speed data transmission services since May 2017, and launched Myanmar's first points/rewards service in May 2018 as part of plans for ongoing service upgrades. The MPT Club reward campaign, open to all MPT users, allows members to earn points in return for activities such as making calls, texting and paying bills. The points can then be used to redeem rewards with nine partners, which include convenience stores, shopping malls, restaurants and cafes.

KDDI has also been improving the quality of telecommunications services and service development capabilities in Myanmar through sending MPT personnel on long-term training programmes in Japan to improve their technological skills. The first year of the programme ended on June 29, 2018. The graduates have returned to Myanmar, where they will put what they have learned to the test.

In addition to telecommunications service knowhow such as network planning, design, construction, testing and operations, students of KDDI's programme have learned how to devise and propose strategies in other service fields, such as payments and content. 

Topics covered include an overview of KDDI's business activities, business skills, Japanese language fundamentals, visits to KDDI's business departments, as well as training in the full cycle of planning, design, construction, testing and operations within a theme chosen by the trainee. The programme is scheduled to accept four new trainees for a second course of study to begin this fall (editor's note: roughly Q3 to Q4).

KDDI plans to continue to work together with Sumitomo and MPT to increase customer satisfaction in Myanmar by promoting the integration of telecommunications and life design, in turn contributing to the development of Myanmar's economy and industry, and improving the lives of the people of Myanmar.