Long Distance

Sri Lanka Telecom will go regional to diversify its revenue base, selling its advanced technology capabilities to less tech savvy firms in Asia.











Sri Lanka Telecom will go regional to diversify its revenue base, selling its advanced technology capabilities to less tech savvy firms in Asia. SLT says it is scouting for new business in the region including in India and Maldives to add to its revenues from 2006.

Chairman Anil Obeyesekere told shareholders recently that a key are of revenue diversification would include marketing its capacity and expertise in network, system integration and advanced technologies to other telecom operators in the region.

Advanced technology or just modern data services including virtual private network solution are expected to add to its international revenues from 2006.

International call revenues took a hit in 2003 when the government liberalized the overseas call market, issuing over 30 external gateway operator licenses.

Already Indian domestic calls giant BSNL has signed up with SLT for a virtual private network solution which is due for deployment before end 2005.

The two firms are mee