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Business
Review - Fixed Telephony |
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| 860,
468 Fixed Lines across Sri Lanka ... |
A Fibre Optic Super Highway
One of the exciting new developments
we are planning will see fibre optic connectivity introduced
into the regions.
The Company plans to connect the Southern, Eastern and Northern
regions of the island to the centre via optical fibre cabling.
We envisage that a Southern network of 325 km, an Eastern network
of 583 km and a Northern network of 564 km will be connected
to the Company’s existing Central network by the years
2006, 2007 and 2008 respectively.
Going CDMA
SLT is also planning to deploy a network using CDMA technology,
which has the potential of connecting 225,000 customers to our
services.
The Company is currently in discussion with the TRC with a view
to re-deploying frequency bands used for WLL services for the
proposed CDMA operations.
The proposed services would help us grow our customer base for
fixed line services from the rural and semi-rural areas of the
country. CDMA based services would provide a cost advantage
as the cost of expanding the network through a wireless based
technologies.
Building Up “Hope”
SLT continued to focus on restoring and developing services
and infrastructure in conflict ravaged areas of the North and
East. Our aim is to bring an increasing number of customers
initially back on line and then to provide access to our value
added services, thereby bringing the entire region up to par
with the best available service in the country.
For the year in review, the
Company completed network expansion and restoration of services
in the areas of Jaffna and Kilinochchi. We expect to complete
similar projects for Chunnakam Town and Mullaitivu by 2005.
Similarly we were able to complete work in the Mannar Town area
during 2004, and will be completing work in Pesalai, Erukkalampitty,
Vankalai and Murunkan in the Mannar District, by 2005.
In Ampara, network expansion
was completed in Thirukovil whilst we will be completing work
in Uhana in 2005.
One of the landmark achievements for SLT in 2004 was the enhancement
of “Project Hope” - our initiative to develop telecommunication
facilities in the Jaffna peninsula. This enhancement came in
the form of a commissioning of a second link to Jaffna via a
new high capacity transmission tower.
Standing over 150 metres tall, the new tower whilst being the
tallest of its kind anywhere in Sri Lanka, also facilitates
a high capacity transmission link over an entirely land based
route in contrast to the radio ransmission link operating to
Jaffna over the sea via Mannar.
The new link, classified as an STM 1 link, operates via Kilinochchi
offering a capacity of 126 Megabits per second (Mbps). The radio
transmission link that was inaugurated last year under “Project
Hope” was of a 34 Mbps capacity.
| In
2004, SLT Provided 53,656 new connections |
The two links together have significantly augmented our services
to and from Jaffna.
This rapid deployment of telecommunication facilities in the
North has prompted the formation of a special project team to
handle development work in terms of telecommunications in the
Northern area with responsibility for Outside Plant Development,
Switching, Radio and transport and installation of transmission
equipment.
Cutting Edge Maintenance for Cutting Edge Technology
One of the key elements of SLT’s new brand image is to
be a customer focussed telecommunications service provider.
This means that from “connection to call completion”,
every step in between must be accomplished with a high degree
of professionalism incorporating top class technology.
Since 2002, SLT has introduced the concept of Outside Plant
Maintenance Centres or OPMCs as they are known in the industry.
These centres are self contained “one stop” locations
that offer a comprehensive service be it a new service or the
repair of an existing one.
OPMC functions are centralised in terms of human resources,
materials and transport facilities and with the deployment of
advanced computer technology, they have been able to yield considerable
savings and prune costs whilst providing superior maintenance.
Four such centres are in operation in the Colombo Metropolitan
area whilst two centres are operational in Jaffna and Kurunegala.
Another ten centres will be introduced across the island in
2005.
Revamping Regional Telecommunications
Offices ( RTOs)
SLT’s network of 35 RTOs have undergone a major facelift
to improve customer comfort and satisfaction as well as to enhance
productivity. They have received updated infrastructure that
equips them to handle sales, service, billing and collection
functions.
These developments dovetail with the Company’s OPMC project,
which will see the OPMCs gradually take over all network expansion,
new service provisioning related outside plant, preventive maintenance
and faults clearance which was hitherto the domain of the RTOs.
New Look Call Centres
 The
Company’s Call Centre operations across the country are
undergoing a phased improvement. Begun in 2003, the improvements
are being implemented in two phases.
Under Phase 1, the Company has equipped and trained all personnel
manning the Company’s service numbers, 121, 122, 161,
133, 134, 132, 100 and 2555555, in order that a customer inquiry
to a single point in this network could yield a solution, instead
of the customer being channelled to each individual point in
the chain for different queries.
Staff were thus given a broader training to deal with a range
of queries and infrastructure was also updated to support them.
The Call Centre operation will be augmented with the opening
of centres in Galle, Kandy and nuradhapura.
Phase 1 of this development programme was completed in April
2004.
Phase 2 of the upgrade will involve the introduction of a Computer
Telephone Integration system that will automatically channel
a customer to the three main areas of Clarity (Fault Rectification
and Servicing), Geneva (which is our Billing System) and Directory
Information.
In addition to the significant enhancement in service to the
customer, staff manning these centres also benefit from vastly
improved work processes and working environment.
Their training plus the upgrade of infrastructure in terms of
making vital information available to them to help answer the
full range of customer queries has empowered them to make a
very positive difference in the way they are perceived by the
general public.
They have now been designated as Call Centre Officers, which
title does more justice to the tasks they perform and in recognising
and affording them the rightful dignity that comes with the
job, the Company has also been able to enhance motivation.
That we are on the right track is borne out by an 80% increase
in productivity.
There is also better communication between staff and the Management
and reward in the form of promotions has been linked with the
Customer Sales Index, which is an added motivating factor.
In summary, the new Call Centres reflect the changing face of
the Company - that of a more customer centric, efficient and
professional institution where technology opens many doors to
great service whilst invigorating and developing staff at all
levels.
New Look Rainbow Pages
 The
Rainbow Pages classified business section within our National
Telephone Directory was given a new identity and logo. The changes
fully capture the essence of the product, giving it a contemporary
look. At the same time, the Rainbow Pages concept was widened
to include three new services - teleRainbow, eRainbow and the
Rainbow Pages CD.
TeleRainbow is a 24-hour operator assisted service that provides
information on Rainbow Pages. It is an enhanced Directory Service
that allows customers to phone in and ask the operator for assistance
in their language of choice.
eRainbow is an integrated search facility available to customers
over SLT’s website, where information on Rainbow Pages
is available on-line. The service also provides banners, pop
up messages and special customer pages for listed customers
as advertising options, at nominal rates.
The Rainbow Pages CD contains information plus all-island directory
information including that of Government and religious institutions,
business organisations and personal phone numbers.
The Rainbow’s colour spectrum has become a boon to customers,
making their search for listed products easier.
Improved Billing System
The Company’s new Billing system was introduced in 2003.
A fully computerised, integrated system now allows the Company
to combine billing for its various services, provide itemised
billing on the customer’s main bill and market new packaged
offers and value added services.
It also allows multi-party billing, including billing on behalf
of content providers. The new system also enhances credit control
with the ability to set usage limits, monitor international
use on-line and programme voice reminders and disconnection.
The Company also established a system of pursuing arrears with
customers. This has improved collections quite significantly.
For example for the year ending 31 December 1997, the Company’s
average telephone customer debtor months stood at 6.5. As at
31 December 2004, we were able to reduce this figure to 5.6
months.
The Proof of the Pudding
The coined phrase is apt when one is considering how to measure
the Company’s performance in terms of Quality.
The efforts of the Company over the years to improve the quality
of its networks, replacing obsolete equipment, enhancing staff
training and improving the management of fault rectification
has really paid off today.
The improvement in the Company’s call completion ratios
to present levels is primarily due to the expansion of its telecommunications
network and to the relocation of equipment to higher usage areas.
Statistically speaking, fault rates in the Colombo Metropolitan
area dropped by 0.1% over 2003, whilst on an islandwide basis
they increased by 0.8%. Fault clearance rates in the Colombo
Metro area stood at 94.5% as against 95% in 2003. On an islandwide
basis, fault clearance was 76.8% in 2004 as against 83% in 2003.
Call completion stood at 46.4%.
Badges of Honour
SLT has enjoyed a consistent winning streak for a good few years
now. If one were looking for an indicator of how well the Company
was doing, outside of the obvious Balance Sheet, it would lie
in the accolades it has received for the responsible conduct
of its business.
At the Awards Ceremony held in December 2004 to bestow honour
on those companies whose business practices have been modelled
on the Japanese Kaizen systems and who have excelled, SLT was
once again honoured when our Matale RTO carried away the prize
for the Overall Winner - Taiki Akimoto 5S for 2003.
The Nagaki Yamamoto Kaizen Award (Runner Up) was won by our
Kandy RTO.
SLT has also participated at the Asian Regions Convention on
Quality and Productivity held at the BMICH during the year in
review. The Company’s Quality Circles and Continuous Improvement
Teams won several awards at the Service Sector Quality Circle
Competition and the Continuous Improvement Team Competition
respectively.
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