North Korea may be gunning for the title of the craziest April fools joke this year with their planned April launch of a 3G network in Pyongyang. The reclusive communist state has decided to once again allow its citizens to use cell phones provided they can afford the astronomical price. While the American imperialist dogs struggle to provide 3G service technology savvy North Korea has risen to the challenge. The country has given a 25% stake to Egyptian company Orascom Telecom to build a high speed network.
The network is currently limited to Pyongyang were cell phones are utilized by North Koreas political elite. Orascom will invest $400 million into infrastructure and receive a 25 year license. The company has plans to ‘gradually’ expand the network. Lets hope their network works better then their UN trade sanctions.
Although the news leaked out before Cuba decided to lift its cell phone ban, news from North Korea moves notoriously slow, sometimes by foot. Now that cell phone use is condoned on airplanes, Cuba, and North Korea checking for bars will rapidly become an antiquated action.
Tags: 3G, 3G network, Cell Phone, North Korea, Orascom, Orascom Telecom, Pyongyang
