SL Government clears obstacles to Wi-Fi project

Google’s link up with the Sri Lankan government to deliver broadband Internet countrywide which was halted due to a spectrum issue will soon resume, Minister of Telecommunication and Digital Infrastructure Harin Fernando told a media conference in Colombo on Monday.

The media briefing was held on the sidelines of the country’s first national broadband forum co-hosted by the Ministry and the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (TRC).   

The minister noted that the TRC has found it difficult to provide 700 MHz band for Google’s Loon as it is currently occupied by broadcasters. But the digitalization of televising in Sri Lanka will clear this obstacle, he said.   
The pilot venture of Google Project Loon, which aims to provide cheap or free Wi-Fi to people in remote rural areas via a fleet of huge helium-filled balloons floating way up in the stratosphere will be re-launched with arrival of balloons from Brazil before the end of this year, the minister disclosed.

He said that Sri Lankan citizens will have free Wi-Fi Iinternet access at 150 more selected public locations island-wide within the next two months increasing the total number of Wi-Fi locations to 400, as the two telecom providers Dialog and SLT will enter into an agreement to share the network by next week. (Bandula)