Business Times

Mobitel reached 3.8 million subscribers by Nov. 2010

By Bandula Sirimanna

Sri Lanka Telecom Mobitel, the national mobile service provider subscriber base increased over the past five years to 3.8 million in November 2010 from 393,000 in November 2005. The Upahara postpaid package designed for greater inclusivity of the state sector, clergy and pensioners became a huge success with over 500,000 new additions in less than three months, Suren J. Amarasekera, CEO of Mobitel, said.

Revenue has also grown over 6-fold during the past five years, he said in an interview with the Business Times with this achievement being possible due to a carefully executed strategy based on value innovation and brand building through service excellence.

With the aim of providing diverse customer needs in modern technology era, Mobitel having launched the first 3.5G HSPA network in South Asia, three years ago in 2007 announced that it will further expand the network to build capacities in infrastructure and to investing for the future.

Investments committed to date in its super 3.5G/2.5G networks and service offering totals over US$ 400 million. He noted that the company’s next phase of expansion will eventually reach a total around 3000 base stations with an emphasis in covering the North and East of Sri Lanka. “In pursuit of its vision to lead Sri Lanka towards an infocomm and knowledge rich society, the company is set to advance its engine with latest Next Generation Net work (NGN) in order to eventually realize 'Broadband for All’. We are proud to say that Sri Lanka is on par with other developed countries in the world in terms of embracing of latest ICT technologies," he added.

Mr. Amarasekera explained Mobitel’s vision of being a platform where information can be accessed, created, used and shared among communities to build an information and knowledge rich society which is capable of elevating the nation to greater heights. He noted that this can be achieved by utilizing the best resources and expert knowledge available both locally and internationally. He asserted that the company is recognized in Sri Lanka and the region not only for its consumer pull but also for its cutting edge technology. Towards making its basic products affordable to all, the company introduced its value innovated SMART prepaid service that became an instant success.

Mr. Amarasekera, expressing his views on the company’s ‘I am Sri Lanka’ campaign, emphasized, “Don’t mistake Sri Lanka for the buildings, roads, forests, trees and other physical infrastructure that we see - Sri Lanka really is you and I. It is you and I who can make a difference between the past and future, and build a greater nation. Today, we may be small, but tomorrow our nation can and will be a great one. That responsibility however lies with each one of us. It is you and I that make this nation great.” He has further expressed that Mobitel’s efforts on promoting mobile broadband are aimed at bridging the digital divide and thereby paving the way for our nation to achieve exponential growth through a knowledge economy.

Carefully crafted strategies along appropriate initiatives have strongly contributed to the growing value of Mobitel Brand. Mobitel displayed exemplary service performance as the SLIM Brand Excellence 2010 awarded the National Mobile Service Provider for its recognition as a brand journeying beyond contemporary business practices. At the recently concluded SLIM Awards ceremony held at Waters Edge, Mobitel was awarded Gold for Service Brand of the Year and Mobitel’s M3 brand claimed gold for Best New Entrant of the Year.

Top to the page  |  E-mail  |  views[1]
SocialTwist Tell-a-Friend
 
Other Business Times Articles
Dollar seen weakening to Rs 106-108 in 2011
Erroneous New Year lottery incurs heavy loss for NLB
No big names for Kalpitiya, Govt. may issue fresh bids
Seylan Bank’s top three officials resign
Grand Oriental Hotel deal in fizzled out mode
Order reserved in oil hedging arbitration
Comment - Roadmap to prosperity
Feature - US GSP for over 130 countries expires, likely to re-start in next few months
Feature - Crisis in coconut: Long term perspective for development of coconut needed
20,000 MFIs to be regulated under Micro- Finance regulations: CB Governor
Indian experts to share insights at ICASL workshop
Laugfs to offer non Acetylene metal cutting gas
Coca Cola gives permanent jobs to 25 top salesmen
City tour for tourists
Central Bank predicts 8-9% economic growth for Sri Lanka
Budget and the Deemed Dividend Tax
Overseas employment prog. should be pro-active: NWC
Markss Healthcare helps in courses to educate ‘budding’ surgeons
Communications’ specialists to share expertise at Feb. 3 seminar
No control over share price movements : PCH
New MD at Ceylon Tobacco Company
SLASSCOM elects new board for 2011
Efutures provides support services to Wall Street firms
ODEL builds 20 houses to mark 20th anniversary
Pelwatte milk foods to enter the market shortly
East coast - hot destination for heli flights
Aitken Spence Printing at Galle Literary Festival
ICASL to introduce new ICT enabled products to its students and members
20 mln shares on offer in Marawila rights issue
Former Nestle SL MD to head Kotmale
‘SURE’ rewards from Seylan Bank to all customers
Emirates sponsors popular authors to Galle Literary Festival
CB Governor on ITN's "Rupees and Sense"
Colombo bourse half day on Jan. 14
SLIC pays Harry’s DCSL Rs. 6.7 bln as per SC order
HVA set to consolidate HELADIV brand through IPO
Lankan PR firm launches website
Ray of hope for GK depositors under new payment proposals
New port city being built at $450 mln cost
Commercial Bank reaches milestone 400th ATM
Proposed 5-day week for those seeking flexible working hours: EFC
Mobitel reached 3.8 million subscribers by Nov. 2010
Tea prices, production and exports seen strong in 2011: Forbes report
SEC may revisit price band
Lanka Bell may not be sold
Sri Lanka rubber prices seen rising
Oman Air CEO speaks on in-flight entertainment
Sri Lanka is next Asian economic miracle :ex-Pakistan bureaucrat

 

 
Reproduction of articles permitted when used without any alterations to contents and a link to the source page.
© Copyright 1996 - 2011 | Wijeya Newspapers Ltd.Colombo. Sri Lanka. All Rights Reserved | Site best viewed in IE ver 8.0 @ 1024 x 768 resolution