‘SLT-MOBITEL – digitally ready for a system change in SL’

Announces national proposal for future-focused technology and digitally empowered citizens to usher change and growth

SLT-MOBITEL,the leading communication and technology service provider in Sri Lanka announced a national proposal to enhance critical services and sectors, and digitally empower citizens, a company press release said.

The release adds:SLT-MOBITEL, one of the most powerful players in the telecommunications and technology sector, cites archaic legacy systems, inefficiency, corruption, heavy operational costs and waste in critical sectors and services to be the main reason to expedite a system change in the country.

The new system change proposed by SLT-MOBITEL places digitally empowered citizens at its foundation, with digitalisation of identities and strong digital security and privacy. This will serve as the building block for new technological innovations that can strengthen Digital Commerce and E-Governance in all aspects of operations critical to the county. SLT-MOBITEL has identified healthcare, education, transportation, agriculture, tourism, judiciary and banking and finance as critical services and sectors that can thrive under this new system, more efficiently and transparently.

Elaborating on this new system change for the country, Rohan Fernando, Group Chairman, Sri Lanka Telecom said, “Much like Singapore did, Sri Lanka has the potential to transition to a Smart Nation, making innovative technology the backbone of every sphere of activity. By doing this, key issues currently facing the country can be addressed and critical sectors and services can be transformed into highly efficient, transparent, and profitable systems which in turn can transform people’s lives. Our vision is to move the country towards E-Governance and Digital Commerce. We have the broadest presence across the value chain and unparalleled capacity to meet the needs of tech companies, large corporates, public and state institutions. With our capabilities and strong infrastructure across the country, we believe we are fully geared to undertake this challenge and bring about the change the people of this country want to see.”

SLT-MOBITEL which began over 160 years ago as a state-owned national communications service provider, transformed itself over the years into a highly profitable and efficient publicly listed conglomerate, offering technology and connectivity solutions, ready-to-go technology platforms, advanced network backbone services and digital infrastructure.

“The brand unification initiative of SLT-MOBITEL in 2020 brought together the best services of fixed and mobile technology. It couldn’t have come at a better time, as the same year saw a dramatic increase in the need for technology and connectivity solutions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Seeing this surge and understanding the demand of the future, we extended our fibre network to 65,000km across Sri Lanka, offering fast and accessible broadband services to boost the digital capacity in the country. The SLT Group has the largest data centres in the country, and our longstanding partnerships with global tech giants like Microsoft, Oracle and VMware mean we are fully equipped to provide the most secure hosting services for public and state institutions, as well as large corporates and foreign investors. As we continue to invest in infrastructure, our efforts are now focused on developing technological solutions for the challenges the country is facing today and will face tomorrow. SLT-MOBITEL is digitally ready for that system change we all want to see in Sri Lanka,” said Fernando.

Under this system change proposition, SLT-MOBITEL will focus on Healthcare, Education, Transportation, Agriculture, Tourism, Judiciary and Banking and Finance.