Lanka Bell seeking mobile licence

Lanka Bell (Pvt) Ltd, the second largest fixed line operator plans to get a mobile telephone operating licence once Bharti Airtel, the latest mobile operator in the country ‘settles down,’ company sources said.

“We tried obtaining a licence to operate a mobile network by bidding for a licence to become the fifth operator, but Bharti Airtel got the licence. We will try to obtain a licence in the medium term once they settle down,” a company source told The Sunday Times FT.

He said the government feels that a sixth operator will overcrowd the telecommunication market in Sri Lanka.

Lanka Bell has secured 650,000 CDMA connections to date and will invest US$60 million during the next three years on capacity increase.