Sri Lanka Telecom has won a license to operate the nation's National Broadband Network (NBN), and revealed plans to extend high-speed broadband nationwide within the next five years.
The operator announced that it has been selected to become Sri Lanka's NBN operator.
The government is eyeing a national high-speed broadband network to help it fulfil its vision of developing a digital economy to boost the national GDP to around $100 billion.
As Sri Lanka's NBN provider, SLT will allow the nation's other operators to transmit data over its fiber network, which already covers most parts of the nation. The company will offer wholesale backbone services at a price.
“We have worked closely with SLT for the implementation of the NBN in order to fulfil the national objective of facilitating high speed broadband over the NBN,” said Anusha Palpita, director general of Sri Lanka's Telecommunications Regulatory Commission.
The government's NBN plan calls for high-speed broadband connectivity in all of Sri Lanka's 329 Divisional Secretariats and 24 districts in five years.
SLT is 49.5% owned by the Sri Lankan government, while the Netherlands' Global Telecommunications Holdings owns 44.9% and the balance is held by the general public.