Tuesday Feb 17, 2026
Tuesday Feb 17, 2026
Saturday, 14 February 2026 00:15 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Senior Adviser to the President on Digital Economy
Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya
Officials of the Digital Economy Ministry outlined plans to provide every citizen with high-speed broadband connectivity by 2029, highlighting a significant infrastructure gap that must be addressed over the next four years.
The timeline was presented at a meeting of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Science, Technology and Digital Transformation held in Parliament under the chairmanship of MP Dr. Janaka Senarathne to review the 2026 Budget allocations for the Digital Economy and Science and Technology Ministries.
Senior Adviser to the President on Digital Economy Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya told the Committee that 100 new telecommunication towers are scheduled to be installed this year. However, he said between 600 and 1,000 additional towers would be required nationwide to meet the full demand for high-speed broadband, with implementation to take place in phases.
Although current internet coverage stands at approximately 98%, officials noted that this does not equate to high-speed broadband access. Capacity would need to be expanded by around 25% to ensure universal high-speed connectivity, including access for schoolchildren.
Dr. Wijayasuriya also said a commercial model would be developed for tower deployment, with opportunities for private sector participation through a bidding process.
The Committee further underscored the need to strengthen digital literacy outside Colombo, proposing that programmes be coordinated through District Secretariat offices.
Discussions also covered the allocation of 2026 Budget provisions for the Ministry of Science and Technology, with several institutional annual and performance reports approved at the meeting.
