| Mobitel
customer base grew to 285,000 as at 31 December 2004 |
An Expanding Network through Developing
Technology
The current coverage achieved
by Mobitel is best illustrated by the map appearing on page
23. Growth in the mobile market in Sri Lanka will be influenced
by several factors, one of which is the availability of cellular
capacity.To ensure that Mobitel is ideally positioned to take
advantage of this growth, the Company has put in place a phased
expansion plan. Phase 1 of this plan is nearing completion with
the completion of our GSM induction. We have earmarked a sum
of US$ 50 million for Phase 2 which will run from the second
quarter of 2005 through to mid-2006.
Phase 2 will see Mobitel significantly
expanding its network islandwide, particularly in the rural
areas, strengthening existing coverage and targeting an increase
in subscriber capacity by at least 600,000.
Innovative Products
Mobitel owns an impressive array
of “firsts” in the product category. From being
the first to introduce EDGE technology to Sri Lanka, the Company
also pioneered MMS, GPRS and WAP facilities for pre paid users.
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| Mobi
Services |
Customer usage
related information such as account balance,
last payments and SMS
based Complaint Management |
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| Info
Services |
News, Health, Lottery Information |
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| Financial |
Stock Quotes, Currency Conversion,
NASDAQ Indices |
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| Messaging |
Personal and Business Alerts,
Bulk Messaging |
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| Infotainment |
TV Guides, Top Songs & Movies,
Hollywood & Bollywood Gossip |
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| Download |
Logo’s & Ring Tones
Picture Messages |
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| Fun |
Jokes, Horoscope, Dating &
Chat |
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| Games |
Hangman, Do You Know, Scrabble,
Speed, Mastermind |
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Mobitel was the first mobile
operator to permit update of its SIM Menu over-the-air and the
first to offer menu driven information services.
The Company’s GPRS network apart from supporting WAP,
GPRS and MMS features, also provides sophisticated services
such as downloading of video and music, full multi media messaging,
high speed internet access, e-mail on the move, multi media
chat facilities and interactive gaming facilities.
Mobitel offers Roaming services, both incoming and outbound,
through a network spread across 170 countries. This service
is supported by a 24-hour dedicated hotline for customer assistance.
Value Added Services
Mobile telephony has moved beyond the initial relatively narrow
concept of pure voice communication. Today, technology has opened
up a whole world of opportunity, all accessible through hand
held devices. Mobitel’s menu based access to SMS based
information services, another first when it was introduced,
is a very well appreciated value added service.
Mobitel’s value added services take customers to the worlds
of information and entertainment, best depicted by the chart
appearing on this page.
The Future
When one considers the demographics of the cellular market,
it exhibits all the characteristics of a “market in waiting”.
Market penetration is at 10%. An average growth of 53% has occurred
over the past eight years.
There is huge potential on offer.
SLT intends growing Mobitel’s penetration, usage and revenue
levels through the expansion of the GSM network islandwide and
an increased promotion of its Roaming facilities particularly
inbound, plus its value added services such as Voice Mail and
SMS to existing and new customers.
Some of Mobitel’s key goals in the years to come are to
maintain leadership in the offer of value added services, continue
to lead in technology, promote the development of telecommunications
in rural areas and play the lead role in mobile convergence
to Internet.
Mobile Telephony is clearly an area of great potential growth
and SLT with Mobitel is committed to tapping this potential
to the full in deriving maximum value and returns to both entities
and their shareholders. |
