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Tuesday, 4 November 2014 00:52 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
A versatile ICT platform is a critical tool for the Government to achieve its goal of a $ 100 billion GDP economy and $ 4,000 per capita income by 2016.
The first step in creating a resourceful ICT platform is to strengthen the National Backbone Network (NBN), with an aim to cater to the future needs of all ICT operators in the country. With a significantly enhanced bandwidth, the NBN’s fibre-optic architecture will enhance connectivity and speed, while bridging the digital divide in the country.
Reengineering the national ICT infrastructure is indeed a colossal undertaking, and the Sri Lankan Government awarded the task of building the NBN to SLT in 2013. Covering all 329 divisional secretariats in Sri Lanka within a five-year timeframe, the NBN aspires to deliver high-speed uninterrupted access at all times, to every business and household in the country.
By facilitating access to sophisticated ICT solutions, the higher bandwidth and seamless high-speed connectivity will help convert households into SMART hubs and transform the way in which individuals perceive communication technology. Increasing the capacity of global connectivity hand-in-hand with the development of a national backbone is an essential prerequisite to facilitate the anticipated exponential traffic growth and the envisaged high-speed connectivity experience.
Speaking about the launch of 100G Ultra Speed NBN, Sri Lanka Telecom Group CEO Lalith De Silva said: “As the NBN service provider, SLT has established a fibre optic network that spans over 20,000 km. SLT is the only ICT solutions provider with multiple global connectivity options. Through the company’s domestic and global connectivity options, SLT provides the backbone for other operators to enhance their services to their customers.
“With the NBN rollout, the industry will certainly be empowered to provide high-speed broadband access at affordable and competitive prices. The country’s NBN provider today is continuing to strengthen its 150 years of strong history in 100G technology. We are proud of the fact that the company has completed yet another industry first technology milestone by proving that 100G traffic can be successfully carried over SLT’s national Ethernet network between two 100G network interface devices while maintaining carrier-grade performance.
“Having 100G network access will be important for developing Sri Lankan businesses which operate data centres and for mobile backhaul and other service applications empowering the growth of the national economy, in support of the Government’s strategic objectives and drive our nation towards a SMART Sri Lanka.”
Fibre-optic transmission infrastructure is fundamental to telecommunications. Within less than half a century, the optical transport industry has migrated from PDH, through SDH, WDM, to OTN-based 100G DWDM, boosting network speeds from megabit-level to terabit-level performance and progressing from pure manual network configuration and management to modest levels of automation.
Huawei’s Chief Executive Officer Daniel Sun said: “NBN is a timely requirement for SLT. Such a forward-looking initiative magnifies the uniqueness of SLT. Every day we have more and more people connected through the internet. It makes our cooperation with telco operators much more significant and prominent. We all need to take responsibility and continue our best efforts in bridging digitally divided communities and promoting all with the equal opportunities brought about by the internet.”
He added: “The SLT’s visionary, participatory and inclusive process plays a critical role in driving Sri Lanka towards being an info educational hub in South Asia which is clearly bringing new social and economic opportunities to so many people in this country.”
Chinese Ambassador Wu Jianghao praised the project’s high-quality and efficient fulfilment as an ideal example of cooperation between China and Sri Lanka. He also conveyed that “with the fast economic development in Sri Lanka, more and more high-technical telecom requirements will be necessary in the future. We all truly believe that Sri Lanka, the pearl on the Maritime Silk Road, will be a hub not only for overseas shipment but also for international telecommunication. I wish sincerely that deep cooperation in more and more areas between Huawei and SLT will be successful and can bring practical benefits to the Sri Lankan people.”
