SLT receives TRCSL nod to commence NBN operations
Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT), the national telecommunication service
provider was awarded with the license as the National Backbone Network (NBN)
Service Provider in Sri Lanka. Under this new license, SLT will function
as the NBN operator, delivering NBN services via the company’s advanced
fibre optic based nation-wide communication backbone. The license was
formally presented to Lalith De Silva, Group CEO of Sri Lanka Telecom by
Anusha Palpita, Director General, Telecommunications Regulatory
Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL), at a formal ceremony held recently at
TRCSL.
Anusha Palpita, DG TRCSL handing over NBN license to Lalith De
Silva, Group CEO SLT |
The Government’s vision to reach a US$ 4,000 per capita income by
2016 and US$100 billion GDP economy is a vision shared by SLT as well.
The company is fully committed to achieving the ultimate objective of
NBN in facilitating broadband connectivity across the entire country. In
line with country’s ICT development plans, SLT plans to cover all the
329 Divisional Secretariats and 24 districts in the country with high
speed broadband connectivity over the NBN, within the next five years.
The Government’s initiative establishes a fundamental enabler for
achieving its objective of a digital economy for Sri Lanka, through
which internet/broadband penetration can be expedited into all corners
of the country,thus empowering the masses with a wealth of information,
education and entertainment at their fingertips and completely
revolutionizing the way people work, study, communicate, relax and play.
NBN will allow all the telecommunication service providers to use it
to transmit their data traffic for the delivery of broadband services to
consumers and businesses located throughout the country, expediting the
bridging of the country’s digital divide.
Palpita commenting on the issuance of the NBN license to SLT said,
“We have worked closely with SLT for the implementation of the NBN to
fulfil the national objective of facilitating high speed broadband over
the NBN. We are delighted with the progress of the entire project.”
Palpita said, “Many initiatives have already been taken by SLT to
strengthen the implementation of the NBN while working more closely with
the TRCSL and the industry.” Lalith De Silva, Group CEO of SLT said, “We
stand proud to receive the NBN license to serve the country towards
achieving its goals. Sri Lanka is
now positioned on a platform of fast track development and ICT has
emerged as a key driver of development and economic growth. SLT’s
network is ready with the necessary flexibility, capacity and capability
to respond to the demands of customers, including supporting the
additional demands of other telecommunication service providers in line
with the government’s vision. Our comprehensive fibre rollout provides
the basis for the NBN to provide coverage, capacity and capability that
allows for the increased demand.”
He added, “Our NBN coverage is already substantial and the capacity
is engineered to be highly scalable, supported by state-of-the-art
technology while providing essential quality features such as resilience
and restoration. Through the NBN, SLT will not only aim to bridge the
digital divide, but will also fast track its ICT development goals,
taking the industry towards achieving its vision of making Sri Lanka the
‘Wonder of Asia’.”
Furthermore, other service providers in the industry are provided
with the option to obtain backbone services at attractive prices, which,
along with the elimination of high investment costs in their own network
developments, gives added benefits to the operators, customers as well
as the entire economy by the overall reduction of space, money and other
resources otherwise wasted on the replication of networks across the
country.
NBN will ensure that everyone is better connected with fast and
uninterrupted access to online applications such as e-learning,
e-commerce and e-health platforms which will also help to enhance
lifestyles and uplift the educational standards of Sri Lankans
throughout the country, bringing online capabilities to a level
previously not available in Sri Lanka. It will ensure Customer
Satisfaction (Speed + Quality + Reliability), Telephony, High Speed
Internet Access, Private Business Networking, Interactive Entertainment,
Smart Grid, Distance Learning etc., bridge the digital divide, backhaul
capacity for wholesale, high speed
broadband access at affordable and competitive prices and world class
access for broadband services. Therefore the increase in broadband
penetration will have a direct impact on economic growth in the country
as have been highlighted by many global research outcomes. In terms of
social impact, it will result in increased literacy rates, the creation
of more job opportunities and the introduction of innovations that will
uplift living standards and bring about changed lifestyles through
social developments.
Through ICT growth, the country will be empowered to become a key
geographic position in the region for research and development through
cutting edge technology and industry innovations. |