The partnership was succeeding the recent completion of the development of 500 multi-purpose smart streetlamp poles by edotco across the country.
These smart streetlamp poles built innovatively and sustainably will help telecom operators reduce data congestion and provide a positive customer experience.
The structures have a unique advantage as they are fast to build and deploy, which has the potential to revolutionize national network rollout plans.
Using these readily available infrastructures, the telecommunications ecosystem providers will collectively help contribute to the nation's digital ambitions of achieving equitable digital access to all its citizens.
The Chief Executive Officer of Hutch, Mr. Thirukumar Nadarasa said,
"Hutch, today, is the country’s fast-growing choice for mobile communication services and the most affordable data service provider delivering a superior broadband data experience over an advanced 4G network of over 2400 sites nationwide.
We are pleased to sign this agreement with edotco, our valued infrastructure partner.
Deployment of these infrastructure services will enhance lives by extending telecommunication services to the people in quicker and more efficient ways.
The effort taken by edotco to collectively contribute to Sri Lanka’s digital ambitions of achieving equitable digital access for all citizens is highly commendable.”
edotco's Acting Country Managing Director, Mr Gayan Koralage, said,
"We are honoured to be one of the infrastructure and rollout partners for the ongoing 4G rollout by Hutch.
Sri Lanka is experiencing a post-pandemic surge in data traffic in this new digital era.
It's about time for the industry to explore cost-effective infrastructure models such as this - a sharable multi-purpose smart lamp poles, which will help lower the cost per GB for the MNOs."
edotco is a strategic and neutral partner that serves multiple mobile operators for micro and macro telecom cells. All our infrastructures have the capabilities to support 4G and 5G networks for future enhancement for the operators to leverage.
Apart from telecommunication usage, these smart poles are also integrated with energy-saving LED light facilities and support smart features like security surveillance and digital signages with aesthetic designs to complement city planning.
Mr Koralage further added that edotco could also assist operators in their precision network planning with its proprietary Network and Planning Analytics (NaPA) tool, powered by geocoding and data analytics, which continues to identify network capacity gaps within the country's urban areas.
edotco Sri Lanka is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the world's 7th largest telecommunication tower infrastructure company, edotco Group Sdn Bhd, which was granted Board of Investment (BOI) Section 17 status in 2015.
To date, edotco has pledged an investment commitment of USD 55 million to help the country advance its digital infrastructure.
Photo caption From Left Hutch CEO Thirukumar Nadarasa with edotco Acting Country Managing Director Gayan Koralage