Dialog sets USD150 million expansion budget

Sri Lankan mobile and fixed line service provider Dialog Telekom has allocated USD150 million this year to expand its networks and improve service quality. Dialog’s parent company Telekom Malaysia told The Business Times that 56% of the investment will be spent on mobile services, including expanding its current network of 600 GSM base stations to around 900 in 2006, increasing network capacity by up to 50%, as well as conducting 3G trials. Broadband operations will receive 19% of the total, with 16% going to expanding and upgrading backbone infrastructure, and customer service improvements accounting for 9%. Dialog is the largest mobile operator in Sri Lanka with 2.124 million subscribers at the end of 2005, a market share of more than 60%. It was listed on the Colombo bourse in July last year.