Page 125 - SAMENA Trends - June-August 2021

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

(TRCSL), telecommunications partners and industry partners the spiralation program. We want to support our startups to go to
launched this two-day forum with the objective of creating the global stage. Many programs are in place to develop digital
awareness about the national digital transformation agenda for the capable youth, future ready women, digitally capable ‘differently
country and engage with regional partners to create a conducive abled persons’, and digitally capable ‘elderly generation’.” An
environment in the Northern Province for digital technology MOU was signed by ICTA Chief Executive Officer Eng. Mahinda
development. This northern forum is the first of the five regional B. Herath and Northern Chamber of Information Technology
cluster development programs planned in the Western Province, Chairman T. Thavaruban, signifying the partnership between
Southern Province, Eastern Province, and Central Province. This both organizations in moving forward towards developing digital
initiative focuses on creating collaboration among stakeholders in technology in the Northern region. Regional Cluster Development
the northern region such as Government agencies, industry, SME Director Indumini Kodikara stated, “ICTA would like to thank all
sector working in agriculture technology, education technology partners who have joined us in this national initiative; Ministry of
to introduce new and advanced technologies from local and Technology, Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, Dialog
international experts, providing necessary support for new Axiata Ltd., Sri Lanka Telecom and Mobitel, Bharati Airtel Lanka
technology research and development, and connecting solution Ltd., Hutchison Telekom Sri Lanka, Lanka Bell Ltd., University
providers with technology-based companies. The Government of Jaffna, SL Association of Software Services Companies
Forum on the 25th was conducted with an online participation of (SLASSCOM), Federation of Information Technology Sri Lanka
158 participants and staff of Jaffna and Manner connecting from (FITIS), Chairman British Computer Society (BCS), NCIT, CSSL,
the district offices. The main Stakeholder Engagement forum on SLINTEC, SLIBTEC, Extreme SEO and specially thank all the
the 26th was attended by 140 online participants and physically Government, private sector and all others who connected from
connecting 15 each from the five District Secretariats went up the Northern region. Without them we will not be able to take
to a total of 225 participants which was well-received. Ministry this journey and wanted them to hold hands with ICTA in moving
of Technology Secretary Jayantha De Silva commenting on this forward.” (July 5, 2021) www.ft.lk
initiative stated, “We need to facilitate and support our young
talent whom I believe are second to none. To do that, we need to Sri Lanka’s telecom regulator is accelerating structural challenges
create more jobs, use technology to increase productivity, build and trends that have long suppressed the telecommunications
capacity and develop the supporting infrastructure in the regions. industry’s growth to create a dynamic, competitive, innovative
We have plans to establish five technology parks and revamp telecommunications infrastructure. Oshada Senanayake,
two IT parks in Jaffna and Manner. The IT/BPM industry itself Chairman – Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (TRC) said
requires 300,000 technology professionals and we have many that amongst these, the optical fiber submarine communications
initiatives planned to achieve this goal. As a nation we are now cable system that carries telecommunications between Sri Lanka
in a progressive path for betterment of the future generation. We and other nations or the Sea – Me – We cable capacity is being
want everyone to be a part of this journey and reap its benefits.” increased.” The Sea – Me – We 6 submarine cable which would
ICTA Chairman Professor Lalith Gamage stated, “We at ICTA are carry telecommunications between Southeast Asia, the Middle
facilitators of the national digital transformation agenda and East, and Western Europe is now being discussed through the
have developed a comprehensive strategy to deliver this. We have convergence of telco operators across the region. We are looking
identified five areas – Digital Government, Digital Economy, Digital at adding a further 6o bps of backbone connectivity in three
Laws and Policies, Digital Services and Digital Technology. Digital years when Sea – Me – We are ready,” he told a virtual Sri Lanka
Government focuses on digitalizing citizen centric services, Investment Forum. In addition to this capacity building, the TRC is
ease of doing business and digitalizing services for government working on one of the first-in-the-world submarine cable resilience
efficiency. We have developed a foundational framework to deliver programs with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s
this and are progressing in this area.” He also went on to say, “In Global Maritime Crime Program. The TRC is in the final stages of
line with the Digital Economy strategy, five key pillars are identified introducing a data protection law to facilitate data management.
as drivers to achieve our vision of making Sri Lanka a digitally ”It was sent to the Legal Draftsman,” Mr. Senanayake told the
inclusive nation. Namely; Technology Industry Development, Business Times. The telco regulator has introduced a spectrum
Startup Ecosystem Development, Capacity Building, Technology management framework to streamline spectrum allocation. “We
Diffusion, and Regional Cluster Development. We have many are looking to introduce sandboxing for spectrum frequency
supporting initiatives to implement these and take the message testing,” Mr. Senanayake added. He said the sandboxing will give
of digital transformation to grassroots levels.” spectrum to test certain Internet of Things (loT) projects etc.”
ICTA Chief Digital Economy Officer Anura De Alwis speaking at This will empower innovation in the country.” He said the first 5G
the session stated, “We started this initiative from the Northern spectrum auctioning will be done towards the end of this year
Province since, according to statistics and information we believe in consultation with the International Telecommunication Union
that, Northern Province would be a fast adopter of our digital (ITU). He added that 75 to 100 locations have 5G cover and the
transformation initiatives. For example; the 2nd largest start up TRC has a rapid trial mechanism in place for 5G. The Cabinet
community in Sri Lanka is represented by the north province. paper for clearing UHF bandwidth for 5G connectivity has been
And we want to take that message to the other regions as well. submitted.” This means that the terrestrial television which is
We at ICTA are facilitators. We have facilitated many initiatives analog will change more towards digital transmission freeing
to support startups such as an alternative credit framework for 700 megahertz of the analog band which will be considered for
startups, removing impediments for startup development through the 5G spectrum,” he said. He added that a new framework for

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