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| Sunday, 1 August 2004 |
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Politics |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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DM targets one m. phones by Anton Nonis Posts and telecommunication Minister D.M. Jayaratne is targeting one million telephones within the next three months. This follows an effort by the minister to clear a backlog of over 700,000 applications for telephones, pending from 1996. Department under the instructions of the minister, had called for applications from reputed communication companies in the country to undertake the task of telephone installations. Ten companies have been given the option of getting into the business. So far, seven communication companies have shown interest. The other three companies would be selected from those who were already registered with the department earlier. Applications made by the seven companies are now being processed to choose the best. Jayaratne said he had earmarked one million telephones though the actual requirement is only 700,000. Jayaratne is also concerned about the initial payment a subscriber for a telephone has to incur. At present, it requires to pay a sum of Rs. 20,000 or more as installation charges to the communications company. He said this was too much and wants it to bring it down to Rs. 5000. The department, by analysing the data has estimated that there might be a demand for another three million communications. At present, a communications company is permitted to adhere to the installing of only one type of communication facility, either land phone or mobile phones. |
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