China Mobile profit falls for 7th quarter

China Mobile has reported a 5.6% lower net profit for the first quarter, its seventh sequential quarterly decline, as a result of heavy 4G spending.

The operator's unedited results show a profit of 23.8 billion yuan ($3.84 billion) for the March quarter. Operating revenue meanwhile grew 3.9% to 160.9 billion yuan. Read more>>

ZTE Makes Breakthrough in 5G Research to Bring Next-Generation Networks Closer to Reality

ZTE Corporation, a major international provider of telecommunications, enterprise and consumer technology solutions for the Mobile Internet, today announced a breakthrough in 5G research, with the company’s new Multi-User Shared Access (MUSA) technology demonstrating the capability to more than triple overload capacity of wireless access networks. Read more>>

Etisalat Lanka re-launches e-learning platform Web Patashala

Etisalat Lanka, a forerunner in providing e-learning to the Sri Lankan student population, re-launched its self-learning platform Web Patashala to provide an easier and more convenient self-learning tool for key subjects of the Grade 5 scholarship and selective subjects for the G.C.E. Ordinary Level (O/L) and Grade 7 to 9 examinations.
Web Patashala is an e-learning platform that enables local students to obtain the best interactive classroom experience at their own pace and in a cost-effective manner. This revolutionary digital school is now conveniently available in DVD format at Etisalat flagship stores and selected retailers island wide. Read more>>

Deputy Foreign Minister Perera highlights Sri Lanka’s achievements in ICT

Deputy Foreign Minister Ajith P. Perera participated at the Global Conference on Cyberspace, from 16-17 April in the Netherlands. Speaking at the conference, the Deputy Minister underscored that Information and Communication Technology was the tool and enabler that would push the boundaries of socio-economic development in Sri Lanka and that e-Government led reforms would be a catalyst in bringing greater transparency, efficiency and accountability. He also briefed on various initiatives underway in the ICT sector that had brought Sri Lanka to the lead position in South Asia on the UN e-Government Readiness rank.

The Sri Lanka delegation to the conference included Chargé d’Affaires a.i Wathsala Amarasinghe, Senior Deputy Solicitor General Neil Unamboowe, Information Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) Chairperson Chitrangani Mubarak and ICTA Board Director Chanuka Wattegama.

The Statement of the Deputy Minister is below:
“I wish to express my sincere congratulations to the Kingdom of the Netherlands for hosting this landmark Global Conference on Cyberspace. I also wish to express my appreciation to the Government of the Netherlands and Bert Koenders, Minister of Foreign Affairs for the invitation extended to Sri Lanka and for the gracious hospitality extended to my delegation.
Sri Lanka strongly believes that Information and Communication Technology is the tool and the enabler that will push the boundaries of socio-economic development in countries such as ours. While harnessing the full potential of ICT for development, e-Government led reforms will be a catalyst in bringing greater transparency, efficiency and accountability.
Substantial investments are already made in the deployment of ICT in key sectors of the economy under the ‘e-Sri Lanka Development initiative’, supported by the World Bank. Our Networked Readiness Index has improved steadily and the UN e-Government Readiness rank has also jumped 41 places bringing Sri Lanka to No. 1 position in South Asia. A large number of government services are now available on line to citizens through our country portal (LankaGate), facilitated by the Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka.
The new Government’s 100 day program has guaranteed access to free Wi-Fi as a citizen’s right. This free Wi-Fi program was launched in several key public places across the country. The Government expects to increase it to a thousand hotspots in the coming months.
Sri Lanka has had a long-standing tradition of supporting an open, interoperable and secure Internet. It remains an active participant of ICANN and supports the Internet Governance Forum.
Whilst protecting the freedom of the internet, several policy and institutional measures have been adopted to combat internet crimes. Recently, Sri Lanka was invited to join the Budapest Cyber Crime Convention of the Council of Europe. We are strongly committed towards fast tracking our accession to this global convention.”

Dialog Axiata launches Lesi Pay consumer financing service

Sri Lanka operator Dialog Axiata has launched a consumer financing service dubbed ‘Dialog Lesi Pay’. The service will allow Sri Lanka consumers, Dialog customers or otherwise, to obtain easy payment plans on their purchases without a credit card. The Lesi Pay service offers mobile phones and tablets from various manufacturers and prepaid DTV connections on daily or monthly installments.
Customers can opt for feature phones on offer from SLR 7, smartphones from SLR 22 and tablet PCs from SLR 64 per day. Customers can make a purchase through Lesi Pay by visiting any Dialog Customer Service Centre with their guarantor. Once they select their preferred product and installment plan, customers should submit an application form along with an initial payment.
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