Category: Technology

Attempts to merge key government revenue generating agencies have slowed down with little agreement on the structure.rn rnA committee appointed by the Finance Ministry to merge revenue agencies, was trying to determine if the proposed revenue authority should be run by public servants or by experts hired from the private sector. rn rnThe government in […]

The telecom regulatory policy will make shift from size control, to sub sector dominance management, under a new draft legislation.The new asymmetric telecom regulation policy will have the telco watchdog barking orders at dominant operators, identified to be so when they pass pre-defined boundaries, impose entry restrictions or is a threat to near free market […]

Sri Lanka Telecom launched its new US$ 20 mn billing system on Wednesday, with ambitious plans to spin it off into a separate revenue generating business unit.Officials say once the system is fully in place, they will consider other commercial applications that can be added on and also tap its customer database.rn rnSome potential commercial […]

Sri Lanka Telecom on Tuesday took a step further to seal its marriage to Lanka Bell, by agreeing to start work on a due diligence study, its Chairman said.The dominant fixed access operator has been courting Lanka Bell for the past few weeks and last month signed a non-disclosure agreement to actively pursue the relationship.rn […]

The Telecom regulator and top government bureaucrats held a public discussion on a new regulatory structure as other operators opposed SLTs plans to acquire Wireless Local Loop (WLL) operator Lanka Bell.Telecom watchdog TRC together with support from the public interest program unit of the Economic Reforms Ministry is planning an overhaul of telecom regulation.rn rnExperts […]

The government confirmed plans to sell a further stake in Sri Lanka Telecom and is presently exploring various exit options.ldblquote The government of Sri Lanka has by an official communique informed the board of directors of SLT that they were contemplating a further divestment of the shares held in SLT,” SLT CEO, Shuhei Anan said […]

Lanka Bell on Thursday signed up with Net2Phone Global Services of US, to offer international calls at bargain rates to key destinations.Net2Phone routes calls over the Internet, unlike conventional traffic, which goes through undersea cables.rn rnAlso referred to as Voice Over Internet Protocol or VOIP, the system offers international voice traffic at virtually a fraction […]

Coping with expansion needs, software engineering service provider, Virtusa is extending its Colombo base into the World Trade Centre. CEO Cris Canekeratne says, the WTCs size would allow Virtusa to scale up its operations in Colombo, along with access to ready to use infrastructure, including internet bandwidth.rn rnMonies to expand into the WTC will be […]

Local telco operators have teamed up, to oppose a possible merger between Sri Lanka Telecom and Lanka Bell.In a hard-hitting letter, operators endash Celltel, Dialog, Suntel, Hutchison and GoTel Networks endash have protested of an impending monopoly situation, if the merger goes through.rn rnThe four protesting operators command a subscriber base of over 1.2 mn […]

Telecom policymakers are re-considering the option to set up national points of interconnection, to fix the current impasse in reaching call termination agreement.rnrnSetting up national points of interconnections will allow in-discriminatory access to all operators, including External Gateway Operators (EGO) to terminate calls locally.rn rnThe third option is being brought back, as efforts to urge […]

Industry analysts are betting on a competition driven drop in overseas calling rates for the upcoming holiday seasons. Competition in prepaid calling cards segment is expected to drive the drop with more of the 31 licensed overseas call operators coming out with their card options.rn rnIn addition, analysts say international call rates can fall by […]

Celltel, the countrys No 2 mobile operator announced plans to invest US$4 million to increase coverage. This is the companys 4th phase of expansion.rn rnCelltel hopes to grow its network to 250 base stations and improve coverage in the south coast. rn rnPhase 5, which is to begin early next year, will more than double […]