Financial Times

2.5 million mobile phones in Sri Lanka -Dialog chief
By Akhry Ameer
Telecommunications should be looked at as a vehicle for socio-economic growth and a 'more serious look' at growth facilitation is required to meet the telecommunication aspirations of the people, says Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya, Chief Executive Officer of Dialog GSM.

Speaking to The Sunday Times-FT after winning the National Business Excellence Award 2004, the Dialog chief called for growth facilitation in terms of better fiscal management, control of leakages and freeing of entry barriers to grow the industry to its fullest potential.

Attributing a 30% mobile penetration potential within the next three years in the country, he said the approval process should be simplified in order to grow the companies to meet the six million targeted users in this period. Currently the local market accounts for 2.5 million mobile phones. Wijayasuriya said the future growth segments among the lower income groups and meeting their aspirations enables socio-economic growth. "From now on, growth segments are among the less affluent and meeting their aspirations is crucial", he added. According to him the telecommunications market has changed from what it was five years ago and has experienced a 10-fold growth during this period with 100,000 new consumers taking mobile phones every month.

An improved fiscal management with a telecommunication roadmap is also essential to enable growth. Proper interconnection such as Caller-Party-Pays (CPP) would contribute towards growth.

Commending the liberalization moves that have taken place so far Wijayasuriya said Dialog benefited from the various phases of industry liberalization to enter the market as the fourth entrant and establish market leadership within a short period. However he was of the view that bypassing of international telephony needs to be controlled to ensure revenues stay within the industry and the country thereby contributing to further infrastructure investment and growth.

"We would like to think Dialog is characterized by a balanced execution of business practices. Everything we do, we try to be equi-focused on all aspects. I think our team is very committed and Dialog people have contributed to this," Dr. Wijayasuriya said of their success formula in clinching four awards at the NCCSL awards ceremony.

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