The untapped potential of 3G

While 3G technology takes its early steps in the Sri Lankan market, consumers have only seen the tip of the “3G iceberg”.

With restricted access to handsets and 3G applications still in their infancy, there is a great untapped potential in 3G technology.

Nokia with its extensive experience in over 100 countries, rolling out 3G networks and partnering service providers aims to be a catalyst in the Sri Lankan market, to bring the best in terms of 3G services to the end-consumers, says Sunil Lakshmanasinghe, Country Manager, Nokia Networks in a statement. What are the strategies that need to be adopted to dive beneath the glossy surface of 3G, in order to realise its real potential? Firstly, the myth that 3G is limited to a high-end niche market has to be rectified.

There is a massive potential to propagate 3G services to the masses with the right critical applications. For example, emergency service teams can use video conferencing facilities to communicate more effectively from accident sites, thereby increasing their ability to make the critical decisions at the right time.

The “life-style” technologies that come with 3G capabilities, such as video sharing and mobile TV have a mass appeal. So why limit it to a restricted elite market? Nokia’s “3G for everyone” concept has helped to introduce handsets and packages that are both affordable and feature- rich to the 3G market, the statement said. Affordability is only one aspect of 3G proliferation. The quality of services and the innovative uses of 3G is the other pivotal factor if the Sri Lankan market is to readily embrace this.

Lakshmanasinghe says the potential for 3G in Sri Lanka is unlimited. “Its time for both policy makers, service providers and end users to delve in deep on how this technology can be harnessed in creative ways to boost the development potential for the individuals, organizations and the country,” his statement said.