Dialog’s own Smartphone launched
Dialog Axiata PLC, Sri Lanka’s mobile market leader announced the
launch of its own (Dialog) Branded Smartphone series featuring an entry
price point of less than Rs. 10,000. Dialog’s i-Series Smartphones, set
to herald an era of mass adoption of Smartphones across the country is
the first Service-Provider branded Smartphone to be launched in Sri
Lanka.
“Dialog has taken the bold step of launching its own range of fully
featured Android Smartphones based on a vision of heralding an era
wherein Smartphones will be rendered affordable to every Sri Lankan
citizen,” said Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya, Group Chief Executive of Dialog
Axiata PLC. “The Dialog Smartphone series starting at less than Rs
10,000, represents our first but determined step towards the achievement
of this vision. Dialog Smartphones bring together the power of an
advanced device quality assured by Dialog, the trust and reliability of
the Dialog Brand, an unparalleled Customer Service infrastructure and an
aggressive price point which we believe will trigger exponential growth
in Smartphone adoption among Sri Lankan consumers” he added.
The Dialog i-Series Android 2.3 Smartphones are supported by a One
Year Dialog Warranty. At launch, the Dialog branded Smartphone series
features two models – the Dialog i35 (with a 3.5” TFT Screen) is less
than Rs 10,000 and the Dialog i43 (with a 4.3” TFT Screen) less than Rs
17,000
Dialog Smartphones are based on the original and fully featured
Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) Operating System and assures Sri Lankan mobile
users of the ‘full Android experience’ inclusive of Google Play.
Commenting on the launch of Dialog’s own branded phones, Amali
Nanayakkara, Group Chief Marketing Officer at Dialog said, “The Dialog
branded Smartphones deliver a level of performance, functionality and
quality that is traditionally the preserve of high-end Smartphones but
at an exceptionally affordable price bringing it within the reach of all
Sri Lankans. We believe the introduction of Dialog Smartphone series
will revolutionise the market and empower the Smart Generation with an
advanced and fully featured device which is affordable as well as
trendy.”
Dialog Smartphones come preloaded with a range of Dialog Apps like
MyTV, Dapp, Traveloid, etc.
These attractions are situated in close proximity to the Mattala
Airport and introduced recently for tourists following the peaceful
environment prevailing in these parts of the country, as a result of
establishing peace, law and order by the Government of Sri Lanka.”
The strategic location of the new airport would also be significant
in around the Eastern and Southern Provinces to serve the purpose of the
frequent travellers who wish to travel at short transit times to visit
tourism hot spots such as Nuwara Eliya Galle Arugam Bay, Yala National
Park, Willpattu National Park, etc. Reaching these key tourism
destinations from Mattala Airport is less time consuming than traveling
from the Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo.”
Veteran hosteller Chandra Wickramasinge of Maalu Maalu fame said that
the MRIA would be a major boost to the development of tourism specially
in the Eastern province. Tourists can now come to the East in less than
three hours,” he said.
Chairman, Master Divers and Former Director of the Southern
Development Authority, Ariyasiri Wickramanayaka told the Daily News
Business that the new venture of opening the Mattala Rajapaksa
International Airport (MRIA) is a highly commendable step taken by the
government.
“I am one of the pioneers who proposed to take this development into
Hambantota. In fact, it was me who proposed to build the Hambantota port
as Galle was not large enough. Therefore, I am happy that the new
international airport is being built in Hambantota because it is where
we are meant to be,” he said.
According to Wickramanayaka, Hambantota will be the next capital of
Sri Lanka due to its ample space vacant for opportunity. According to
him the fact that the airport and port, being bigger than the Katunayaka
Airport and Colombo port, will attract many business opportunities.
“This is where we belong. Galle was the capital when the Dutch were
here and Colombo was the capital when the British were here but now it
is time we go back to the capital which was truly local and before the
invasion, the late Magampura and the present Hambantota, we are going
back home,” he said.
According to him opening the MRIA is a practical step as people would
be drawn there business wise and it will be the future economic hub.
“If people want to earn a US $ 200 salary in future, Hambantota is
the place to go, and that is were people will go to earn a good living
as there is plenty of job opportunities,” he said.
Chief Executive Officer, Hambantota Chamber of Commerce, Krishanthi
Weerasinghe said that Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport will bring
in a lot of opportunities for the business community because of the
development in the tourism sector.
She said that with the new airport, all the other areas in the
vicinity, namely Tissamaharama, Tangalle, Belliatta and other towns will
develop rapidly. Weerasinghe said that there is ample chance for the
development of infrastructure facilities due to the opening of
opportunities in the area.
The majority of land belongs to the government, therefore, the
government could easily provide more opportunities for the development
and attract foreign investments into the country.
General Manager, Peacock Beach Hotel, Nalin Fernando said that this
area was neglected for sometime and with the opening of the new airport
there would be a big boom in the hotel and tourism sector in the area.
He said this would be a great move by the government to create a
window of opportunities not only to the area but also to the whole
country. This airport would bring enormous opportunities to the country
from medium to long term perspectives.
Meanwhile, taking an international visual aspect on the proceedings
of MRIA, a delegation from Germany and France visited Sri Lanka to enter
into deals regarding rubber with one of Sri Lanka’s well known Rubber
exporting companies, said that it will ease their burden of travel and
that the location, though is highly condemned is by no way an
inconvenience.
According to these delegates they expect MRIA to reach the
international standards and is sure that this new initiative will make
way to increase the already expanding tourism industry. Taking a more
general perspective, Daily News Business spoke to some constant
travelers, former FedEx Sri Lanka Manager who travels as a hobby said
that the MRIA will actually increase the convenience of travel as there
might be less traffic in reaching the airport.
“The MRIA is bigger than the Katunayaka International Airport and
thus, in my opinion, traveling from Sri Lanka is about to be a more
comfortable experience,” he said. |