STC empowered with SLT solution

Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) empowered the State Timber Corporation (STC) with a total voice communication solution, broadband Internet facility, email and web hosting services, enabling the corporation to have an effective inter branch communication system. With this initiative, 55 locations of STC have been connected to a single communication network - this includes regional offices, timber complexes and sales depots. The agreement is also projected to cut down costs of inter-branch communication as well as increase productivity resulting in cost-effective communications.

Addressing the gathering, Ajantha Seneviratne, Chief Marketing & Sales Officer of SLT said, "We are proud and privileged to become the exclusive communication solutions provider for the STC. I am confident that our communication solutions will facilitate STC to experience direct cost savings and also to enhance the capabilities of the corporation".

The State Timber Corporation operates under the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources for the purpose of extracting timber from the forests, conversion of such timber into sawn timber and finished products, sale of logs, construction of forest roads, operation of timber and firewood sales depots, and the manufacture and marketing of any by-products from timber.

Other functions such as import and export of timber, afforestation, reforestation and scientific management of forests and forest plantations owned by the plantations, and purchase of timber from private land were later added with the diversification of activities of the Corporation.

Commenting on the agreement, Chandana Janak Haputantri, Chairman of STC said, "We are looking to move forward with an online information system to make our operations smoother while connecting all our branches and other locations. Since we have sales depots around the country, it is necessary to efficiently maintain timber stock information online, inventory control, online sales, cash collection as well as sales information which all need to be monitored and managed on a real time system. Being the giant in the telecommunication industry, we believe SLT can help us to make it a reality".

Since the eGovernment initiatives are under way, through the Lanka Government Network (LGN), all Government institutes are inter-connected using high bandwidth network which greatly increases the efficiency of Government services. STC also will get the opportunity to get connected with the LGN once the data network is complete. For the LGN project, SLT acts as the telecommunication backbone, providing high speed access to data, video and voice communications in government offices and ministries. Together with the government, we believe that we can create a stronger resource pool for government offices and the general public across the country.