The first mobile phone network in South Asia was implemented in Sri Lanka in 1989. It also first switched on UMTS or 3G service in this region in 2004. Sri Lanka is now launching South Asia’s very first Long Term Evolution or LTE in FDD bands, which covers twice as large area compared to LTE in TDD spectrum of 2.6 GHz.
Dialog Axiata, a unit of Malaysia’s Axiata Group and Sri Lanka’s biggest carrier by subscribers, has won a pair of 10 MHz spectrum in 1800 MHz band last week to launch LTE mobile broadband service in FDD spectrum.
Dialog has already launched fixed-wireless LTE using TDD spectrum at the end of 2012 through its Broadband Networks division. To inject mobility in faster broadband portfolio, Dialog had to outbid its rivals at LKR3.277 billion (US$25.3 million) last week. The auction’s starting bid price was LKR800 million. Sri Lanka’s Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) has granted the spectrum to Dialog for 10 years.
Peak mobile data speed in 1800 MHz. LTE is promised over 50 Mbps and it is fueling the growth of high-speed mobile broadband worldwide. Success of LTE, however, requires sensible policy and effective regulation. Unlike its South Asian neighbors, Sri Lanka is respected for promoting the bounty of technology. Dialog’s group chief executive Hans Wijayasuriya said:
The progressive spectrum management policies of the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka has once again ensured that Sri Lankan consumers will enjoy the region’s most advanced suite of Mobile, Fixed and Nomadic 4G LTE Services.
……Dialog will continue to invest aggressively in building a world class portfolio of Broadband Services for our customers based on Mobile and Fixed LTE, 3G HSPA+, Wi-Fi and Fibre Optic Connectivity.
And the regulator’s view is:
Director general of Sri Lanka’s telecommunications regulatory commission Anusha Pelpita told LBO last week that spectrum had been kept affordable to allow cheaper services and spectrum sharing had also been allowed.
Lanka Business online reports.
Comments are closed.