YANGON: Military-ruled Myanmar is to more than double the cost of local telephone calls in 2010, official sources said today. The price hike by the communications, posts and telegraphs ministry will take effect from January 1.

“The price will be increased to 50 kyats (five cents) per minute for all local calls,” a telecommunications department official said. Current charges for local calls are 15 kyats per minute from landlines and 25 kyats per minute from mobile telephones.

Charges for overseas calls will not change, the officials said. The increased charges have not yet been announced by Myanmar’s official media. “If it’s true, I will try not to use my mobile very often,” said Soe Soe, a 25-year-old housewife.

Myanmar authorities have said they are trying to improve telecommunications across the impoverished country by extending network areas.

The government allowed mobile phones to function in the remote jungle capital Naypyidaw for the first

time in early October, after previously banning them for security reasons.

Myanmar has been ruled by the military since 1962.