The National Mobile Service Provider, Sri Lanka Telecom Mobitel signed strategic cooperation agreements with ZTE Corporation and Huawei Technologies in the presence of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and China’s Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress Wu Bangguo.
The agreement was signed by Nimal Welgama, Chairman, Sri Lanka Telecom Mobitel along with representatives from ZTE Corporation and Huawei Technologies. As per the agreements, ZTE and Huawei will collectively deploy over one thousand and four hundred 2G/3G and 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) base stations as well as transmission equipment for Mobitel. The additional base stations will mean an increase in the network’s coverage, capacity and speed, making it South Asia’s first commercial 4G (FDD-LTE) network.
Commenting on the strategic deals signed, Mobitel’s Chairman, Nimal Welgama said, “Our partnerships with ZTE and Huawei are further strengthened by the signing of these agreements. We have worked closely with them, on many large-scale initiatives. This stage of our network expansion is crucial, and I am confident that both ZTE and Huawei will extend their support towards making this network expansion successful.”
“The successful completion of the expansion of our network in June has been a mammoth task. One thousand sites for 2G and 3G base stations were set up, all in record time. The new deals signed today, with ZTE and Huawei signal that crucial, next phase of development for Mobitel. This will help us expand our technological footprint, the network’s coverage to 100% population coverage, an increase in the network’s capacity and speed – all of which make up the deployment of 4G mobile technology in Sri Lanka. We have already enabled our core network with the latest HSPA+ powered by MIMO technology, thus developing the country’s ICT infrastructure, leading it towards an info-com and knowledge-rich society. As our network expands, so does the country’s ICT landscape. Each step we take, we do so, working keenly towards fulfilling the Government’s ICT goals,” said Lalith De Silva,
Chief Executive Officer, Mobitel.
