SLT signs up with ZTE for CDMA

SRI LANKA TELECOM (SLT) will be the third player to launch CDMA technology in Sri Lanka after Lanka Bell and Suntel.

Sri Lanka's premier communications provider will sign an agreement in this regard with ZTE Corporation of China to rollout SLTs CDMA network on Sunday (16) at Trans Asia Hotel.

Chief Executive Officer, SLT, Shuhei Anan and Vice President, ZTE Corporation, Fang Rong will ink the agreement.

SLT received the authorisation from the Telecom Regulatory Commission (TRC) to deploy CDMA [Code Division Multiple Access] technology two months ago and the SLT called for tenders to select a company to deploy the technology last month.

"We are hoping to position 150,000 CDMA connections annually from next February," said Chief Executive Officer, SLT, Shuhei Anan. The SLT is hoping to concentrate on areas not penetrated, such as the North and East and deep South where telecommunication density is very low.

There are had been 991,000-fixed line connections issued up to end of 2004, in contrast to over 2.2 million mobile phone connections.

Though the fixed line penetration is low in comparison to the wireless networks, this segment too is expected to boost with the introduction of CDMA technology by operators, Suntel and Lanka Bell and Sri Lanka Telecom. (SS)