The standard monthly rate for North Korean cellphone users is strikingly low – 1,000 North Korean won or approximately $0.15 cents for 200 minutes of talk, according to a Radio Free Asia (RFA) report.

Orascom, the Egyptian telecom company that operates Koryo Link alongside North Korea’s Korea Post and Telecommunications Corporation, reported 2.4 million registered users, but its profits are considerably lower than expected from this number of subscribers.

One possible reason might be the North Korean government providing reduced rates to aid government officials in their business operations, the RFA reported.

“When a cellphone business opens up either