Category: Technology

Mobitel Private Ltd said a statement it regretted any embarrassment caused to the Attorney General or the Telecom watchdog as a result of a news item that appeared in the media, early in December, saying a case against the operator had been dismissed after it was withdrawn.Mobitel says it only learnt later that a fresh […]

Sri Lanka Telecoms board on Wed. gave its blessings to acquire wireless local loop operator Lanka Bell.The dominant fixed line operator declined to name the bid price, but industry analysts put a price tag of just under US$ 20 mn based on per-line cost assumptions for Lanka Bells 44,000 customers.rn rnSLT will initially take a […]

Once a week, Shantha embarks on a journey; a journey that takes him across rivers, paddy fields, mountains and over 20 kilometers away from his home to a place where he can use a computer, surf the internet and check his Hotmail account.Shantha is only one in a thousand other Sri Lankan youths confined to […]

Sri Lanka Telecoms efforts to take over Lanka Bell got delayed by over a week, but the incumbent operators team negotiating the deal say they have secured commitments to sell for up to 75 per cent of the wireless operatoration. rnrnSLT was to finalise a price for the stake in Lanka Bell at a Board […]

Software giant Microsoft, is setting up a fully-fledged local arm to offer products at discount rates and to set up a development unit.Microsoft Sri Lanka Ltd will distribute specific licence products and the firm will also be making the world standard lquote Windows software available in both the Sinhalese and Tamil languages under its Language […]

Sri Lanka Telecom hopes to tap the overseas market to raise up to US$ 100 mn via bonds for its expansion plans next year.The issue, which is likely to come out next March or April, will be the first overseas debt paper to be offered by any Sri Lankan firm.rn rnldblquote The size of the […]

Sri Lanka Telecom is expected to come out with a price tag for Lanka Bell next week, after concluding a due diligence on the small fixed access operator.The incumbent operator has been actively pursuing Lanka Bell and slipped an engagement ring for a due diligence study in October.rn rnSLT is asking full control or at […]

The telecom watchdog on Tuesday came out of cold storage to flex its legal muscle and file charges against Mobitel (Pvt) Ltd for defying regulators orders.This is the first time in history the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) has taken an operator to court.rn rnFiling papers at the Colombo District Court, the regulator said that Mobitel […]

Political power play has put in the balance plans by HSBC to set up a huge call center in the country.The banking giant was planning to set up a call center and a back office operation in the country and was seeking government cooperation for minor adjustments to the Labor Laws to facilitate the investments.rn […]

Sri Lanka Telecom reported a 26 percent dip in net profits for the first nine months, due to an early retirement scheme, higher operating costs and losses from its cellular subsidiary.The monopoly telecom giant said Friday that net profits fell to Rs.1.788 bn from Rs. 2.425 bn reported during the corresponding period 2002.rn rnRevenues during […]

Collection problems could bog down state plans to charge a Rs. 300 annual levy on mobile handsets as planned from next January, which works out to less than 85 cents a day.The new charge, meant to compensate the government for Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue lost due to smuggled cellular handsets entering the market, will […]

The telecom watchdog won the first round against Mobitel on Wednesday, when the Court Appeal rejected a stay order put forward by the cellular operator.Mobitel Lanka Ltd sought legal recourse, after the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) asked the cellular operator to withdraw its promotional GSM offer last Friday.rn rnThe cellular operator started trial runs for […]