From left: TRCSL Director General Oshada Senanayake and Bharti Airtel Lanka CEO/MD Ashish Chandra

Working in partnership with the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL), Airtel Lanka announced the recent completion of a new 4G tower in the Ratnapura district, under the Gamata Sanniwedanaya initiative. 

The newly-built 4G tower under the initiative, commissioned in Ulupitiya, Ratnapura district, covers an area of 91 square-kilometres, facilitating a total population of 12,219, with drastically improved network coverage. The digitisation of rural communities aims to keep everyone connected and productive in their daily lives, supporting seamless distance-learning and flexible working requirements.

Airtel Lanka CEO/MD Ashish Chandra noted, “With the commissioning of the tower in Rathnapura, residents of Ulupitiya now have access to our world-class, buffer-free 4G network. Airtel will continue to partner with the TRCSL to fulfil our vision of enriching the lives of Sri Lankans, especially the deep rural community, who has no access to mobile connectivity.”

Aiming to achieve 100 percent islandwide coverage by 2022, the ‘Gamata Sanniwedanaya’ initiative aims to bridge the digital gap in rural districts with poor network coverage, by providing equal access to mobile connectivity for all Sri Lankans.

Additionally, Airtel is also executing an independent and rigorous expansion drive of its 4G network, with the construction of new 4G towers islandwide. Airtel Lanka’s plan to expand its 4G coverage across the island is strategically mapped out to ensure that, as well as rural areas, highly populated areas are also covered with no room for poor network qualities.