Broadband Internet - another first from Dialog

by Surekha Galagoda

Broadband Internet powered by WiMAX technology was introduced by Dialog Broadband Networks (DBN), a fully owned subsidiary of Dialog Telekom. It is the first in Sri Lanka and the South Asian region.

CEO DBN Kavan Ratnayaka said that this is not just about productivity improvement, it is much more. It is the largest WiMAX implementation in the region and bigger than the launching of the GSM and 3G launches in Sri Lanka.

Business start ups will become easier and the reach can be worldwide. WiMAX will help you open a store, display your goods and sell online an artist to display his paintings, the possibilities are endless.

DBN started investing in January and it was implemented within 10 months. It is a tremendous achievement. "I share the glory but I can't take the credit because I have been here for over one month. Expansion will continue and we hope to have 225 base stations by the end of the year. DBN will introduce more value added services in the coming months", said Ratnayaka.

Director CEO Dialog Telekom, Dr Hans Wijayasuriya said "our promise is to make the whole suite of products affordable to all customers. Sri Lanka should enjoy the very best of technology and this is our vision" said Dr Wijayasuriya. We have invested US$ 10mln over the past 18 months, he said.

This will help grandmothers see their grand children who are miles apart on a daily basis. This is what it does, said Ratnayaka.

It is equivalent to a multilane highway being built with no disturbance to you whatsoever.

Director General, Telecom Regulatory Commission Kanchana Ratwatte said that mobile subscribers have passed the seven million mark. In addition there are over 2.3 million fixed line customers including CDMA users.

"We expect both these subscribers to increase and the total customer base to pass the 10 million mark by the end of this year," he said. He said that this is a remarkable achievement for a country such as Sri Lanka, but we have only 160,000 internet users and in this aspect we are far behind, he said.

The new service includes pre-packaged high-speed, internet solutions, together with unlimited internet usage for a fixed monthly subscription. Dialog Broadband connectivity will replace the traditional dial-up access to the internet; Activities such as gaming, video sharing, movie and music downloads are now within easy reach of Dialog customers.

Dialog Broadband Networks (DBN) is a fully owned subsidiary of Dialog Telekom PLC and is a key player in Sri Lanka's ICT infrastructure sector, providing backbone and transmission infrastructure facilities and data communication services.

The Company has consistently focused on the adoption of International best practices with respect to management systems, business processes and quality systems.

Led by experienced management professionals, the company is richly supported in terms of technical and functional guidance by its holding company Dialog Telekom PLC and ultimate parent company TM International Sdn Bhd. Dialog Broadband recently commenced the provision of fixed wireless telephony services based on CDMA technology.

Dialog Telekom, an ISO 9001 certified company, is a subsidiary of Telekom Malaysia. Dialog operates 2.5G and 3G Mobile Communications networks supporting the latest in multimedia and mobile Internet services.

The Company has the distinction of being the first 3G operator in South Asia to commence commercial operations. Its local coverage spans all provinces of Sri Lanka, while international roaming is provided in over 200 countries. Dialog Telekom, the largest and fastest growing cellular service in Sri Lanka, serves a subscriber base of over-four million Sri Lankans.

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