Around 200 mobile phones have been put on sale at a price of Kyat 1,800,000 (US $ 1402) per hand phone in TPDC office in Falam town, northern part of Chin state, sources close to TPDC office in Falam said.

"There are around 200 Chinese mobile phones kept in TPDC office for sale and local authorities themselves are engaged in this business", a local said.

"As for as I am aware there is no one to buy the mobile phones as the price is too high for the people here", a local added.

Besides connectivity maybe a problem because Chinese mobile network has been introduced in Chin state recently and only a few people hold Chinese mobile phones in Hakha town, capital in Chin state.

"I saw a few people who are using Chinese mobile phones here but I don't know from where they bought it and how much they paid for it", said a local from Hakha.

A local from Matupi town, southern part of Chin state said, "The local authorities told us the mobile network will be available in our town soon, but so far it is not possible to use mobile phones."

In November, the Burmese regime had seized several Chinese mobile phones from civilians in Kachin state and Northern Shan state where Chinese mobile phones are widely used.

Since the junta cannot provide affordable mobile phone services in north Burma, Yunnan-based Chinese companies, are taking advantage of it and are giving cheap phones and illegal mobile service in Kachin and north Shan state in Burma. – Khonumthung.