Etisalat expands

Etisalat unveiled a coverage expansion plan in Sri Lanka with an investment of US$163 million (Rs. 18.5 billion).

The investment will go to network expansion in the North and Eastern provinces of the country as well as to improve its broadband services in urban areas.

The expansion plan includes 480 new 2G base stations taking the total to 1580. Etisalat said that after completion it will be the largest mobile telephone network in the country.

The expansion plan is aligned to the Government's development plans; Uthuru Wasanthaya focused on the North and Gamaneguma focused on rural development.

Etisalat will also introduce Sri Lanka's largest 3G network with the most advanced 3G technology HSPA + or evolved high speed packet access technology, with 28.8 megabites per second speed.

"This will be the most sophisticated 3G technology to be introduced in Sri Lanka. The expansion further supports the latest in value added service, billing and all IT communication services," said CEO Etisalat Sri Lanka Duminda Ratnayake."This is the project that will take this company into greater heights.

This is a fully funded project with very attractive terms. The UAE based parent company has been affirmed by Fitch as A+, while S&P raised Etisalat UAE's rating from AA- to A-1+. This project will take Etisalat Lanka closer to achieving our ultimate goals of moving forward providing unsurpassable services and reaching out to our consumers," Ratnayake said.

Ratnayake said that under the new expansion plan over 500 third generation (3G) base stations will be set up on existing locations.

Etisalat has chosen Alcatel-Lucent as official vendor for this expansion plan following a comprehensive tender process. Alcatel Lucent is the current network vendor of Etisalat.

The Country Manager of Alcatel, Roland Reynier said that both parties are glad to continue their ongoing liaison in providing the best for Sri Lankan consumers.

"We are very happy to be selected to continue as the vendor for Etisalat enabling us to be a part of the latest European technology brought into Sri Lanka," he said. GW