Over 17.35 million mobile phones in use:

Booming business for mobile operators

Charumini de Silva

Cellular phone subscribers have increased from 14 million to 17.359 million last year recording a substantial growth of over 20 percent. The fixed phone subscribers were 3.578 million.

The internet and email (fixed) marked 280,000 while mobile broadband subscribers were 294,000.

Compared to regional countries Sri Lanka enjoys an average growth where there is a optimistic outlook for the mobile operators.

The Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (TRC) is expecting a similar growth or a slight growth for this year than last year. The mobile operators have covered almost all the areas of the country at present, a Telecommunication Regulatory Commission senior official told Daily News Business.

The world trend is on broadband developments as it directly influences businesses, economy and world altogether. Recognizing the importance the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is planning to implement a broadband commission.

He said it is timely for Sri Lanka to recognize the potential of broadband and harness its benefits in uplifting the country's economy.

"We are still not taking the maximum advantages of broadband. It is high time that we make use of ICT in expanding the economy for an aggressive growth. Improving the ADSL, Wi-max, Wi-Fi and HSPA facilities are vital.

"However, with the developments taking place in the broadband industry; we could expect that business will smoothly follow up and benefit from it," he said.

The TRC will start transmissions from the Kokavil common tower enabling the Northern province public television, cellular phones, fixed phones and broadband facilities.

The commission will also commence another common tower in Peliyagoda by the name of Lotus tower next month with an investment of over US $ 100 million.

The developments in the digital facilities have helped to enhance the education of the children in the remote areas via e-learning.