LMD's February issue out:

Empowering a nation

IN keeping with its role as 'the voice of business', LMD's most recent issue brings into sharp perspective the nation's telecommunications industry.

And elucidating this pertinent issue is Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya - himself a pioneer of the industry - whose clarion call to network a nation cannot, and must not, be ignored.

The man and manager behind the telecom machine very clearly spells out his vision for a nation-centric telco industry and the development of strong techno-economic principles in the February edition of LMD, which is out this week.

Commenting on the key challenges the industry faces and the pressing need for forward planning, Wijayasuriya says: "The telecom industry is best described as an industry in its growth phase. What the industry would like to see in 2008 is a telephony penetration of 35-40 per cent.

So 2006, in that sense, is a challenge to the entire industry: This seems a fairly well-defined challenge, but behind it is a requirement to build a very robust infrastructure for the country.

From a national point of view, it's not only about telephony penetration - it's also about building beyond 2008.

In forward planning, technical and economic fundamentals need to be put in place to facilitate growth. On the technical side, we have to recognise the convergence that is taking place.

Besides consumer-level challenges, building strong infrastructure, capable of handling growth and capable of providing a futuristic platform for telecommunications in Sri Lanka are the key challenges the industry faces this year."

This captain of the telecom industry also provides a comprehensive SWOT analysis of the industry and states that although we have a "very impressive stable of top-class multinationals", the apparent weaknesses of the sector have to be put in place for the commercial sector of the industry to take things forward.

As Wijayasuriya reveals to LMD, the consumer is king. He states: "Our consumer is very intelligent and very discerning; and unlike in some other markets, our consumer sets standards in terms of quality - it's not only price that counts. Even suburban and rural consumers are ready to pay for quality.

In Sri Lanka, the signal the consumer gives the service provider is very rational: they want value for money. The citizen wants the country to go forward and that is communicated clearly to the service provider.

Also, they are ready to pay for good service. In that sense, competition left in the hands of the Sri Lankan consumer is in safe hands."

LMD is published by Media Services, which also publishes 'the ultimate lifestyle magazine' LIVING; Sri Lanka's version of the 'FORTUNE 500' - THE LMD 50 - and the weekly television business programme, Benchmark.