The Government has identified 250 locations across the country where broadband coverage is not sufficient to provide better coverage under the Gamata Sannivedanaya – Village Communication program, said Deputy Minister of Digital Economy, Eranga Weeraratne.
He was addressing the media in Colombo on Thursday at an event hosted by the BCS – The Chartered Institute for IT, Sri Lanka Section to announce its strategic roadmap for 2025 to strengthen Sri Lanka’s ICT sector and support the national digital economy goals. “Funding for the expansion of broadband coverage through more towers to be set up in the locations has been done and now it is the implementation that needs to take place,” the Deputy Minister said.
He said the setting up of towers in the regions with the support of telecommunication service providers will be done with the SLS standards of the service providers.
“The process to get the services of licence holders will be fast tracked which will encourage foreign direct investments to improve the telecommunication infrastructure in the country,” the Deputy Minister said, adding that the ministry aims at bridging the digital divide by providing broadband coverage to areas where the service is no yet available. On the status of e-tickets for transportation, the Deputy Minister said that it is a separate area that is being looked into. However, the Digital Economy Ministry is working with the Transport Ministry to get the e-payment service off the ground soon.
“We are also working with the relevant ministries to implement the GPS system to track the movement of buses and trains and offer a better service to commuters,” Weeraratne said. Responding to the high cost in accessing broadband services, he said by bringing foreign investors and more players to the sector and with the plan to roll out 5G technology in the country, the cost of internet service will reduce.
He said plans are in place to connect 1,000 schools per year with Sri Lanka Telecom through the ‘Connect Schools’ program to provide broadband services to schools across the country where such services are not available.
