Improving Rural 3G Access in Sri Lanka

Qualcomm has announced the launch of its Wireless Reach initiative in Sri Lanka through the opening of a Last Mile Initiative (LMI) Center in Wennappuwa, which provides community IT centers in rural areas. The center, known as Easy Seva, is one of 15 that will be launched in the country with support from Qualcomm, Dialog Telekom, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the National Development Bank (NDB) and Synergy Strategies Group (SSG).

The centers are enabled with 3G mobile broadband connectivity based on Dialog's HSDPA network.

"We are very pleased to be partnering with Dialog Telekom and USAID on our Wireless Reach initiative to empower rural communities in Sri Lanka," said Kanwalinder Singh, president of Qualcomm India and SAARC. "We congratulate Dialog Telekom for being the first operator in the SAARC region to launch HSDPA for rural applications. It reaffirms that 3G HSDPA has the versatility to deliver next-generation services to all consumers, rural and urban, while offering a compelling business opportunity for operators and rural entrepreneurs."

The Easy Seva centers also will help rural residents to acquire employment skills through online training, explore new job opportunities, receive micro-loans and other banking services, as well as to call relatives and friends overseas at low rates.

The Last Mile Initiative in Sri Lanka was initiated by the USAID and is being implemented by SSG and Infoshare. It is supported by a number of leading high-profile international and local partners. Qualcomm, through its Wireless Reach initiative, will be responsible for providing funds to upgrade 3G HSDPA base stations and for the purchase of equipment for the centers. Qualcomm also will provide technical support for technology analysis, as well as assist in obtaining equipment pricing from vendor partners. In addition to the provision of Last Mile access, HSDPA terminals and end-user equipment, Dialog Telekom will also provide Internet backbone infrastructure and access, a SIM card-based electronic payment mechanism co-developed with the National Development Bank, Voice Over IP (VOIP)-based low-cost communications, distance education facilities and help desk facilities for the provision of operational and technical support.

Dialog Telekom is the largest mobile operator in Sri Lanka, with more than 3.5 million subscribers, representing approximately 60 percent market share, and is a subsidiary of the Telekom Malaysia Group.

Posted to the site on 30th August 2007