Lanka Bell offers Viza to more than 200 countries

Lanka Bell has brought the world a little closer to Sri Lankans with the launch of a new IDD card that will make calling overseas easier from any fixed line, mobile, public payphone or CDMA phone.

Using the PIN number in the scratch panel at the back of one of these cards, a user can convert any phone into an IDD enabled one and call more than 200 countries while keeping control of the costs.

"The arrival of Viza will blow away any lingering reservations there may be in consumers' minds about calling overseas," Lanka Bell Managing Director Suren Goonewardene told a dealer convention organised to launch

 the new card.

Lanka Bell Viza cards will be available at retail outlets islandwide and at all Lanka Bell Business Offices.

Calling rates will be competitive and billing will be on a per second basis, enabling users to get maximum talk time, Goonewardena said.

The first Viza cards were presented to the Director General of the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) Kanchana Ratwatte and Chairman TRC and President's Secretary to Lalith Weeratunga in Colombo recently.

Using these cards is simple: the user simply dials the designated number 5 333 222 (prefixed by 011 if it is from an outstation phone or a mobile) enters the PIN number of the card followed by the # key and then dials the required number using the specific country and area codes.

Viza cards are available in denominations of Rs. 150, 350, 500, 1000 and 2500. The Rs 150 card is valid for 90 days from the date it is first used, the Rs 350 card for 120 days and all others for 180 days.

Lanka Bell was established in 1997 with an initial investment of US$ 150 million and was the pioneer of CDMA technology in Sri Lanka.

The only 100 per cent Sri Lankan owned company in the telecommunications sector, Lanka Bell has invested more than Rs 6 billion in its operations and today offers the lowest call charges in the local market.