Leading connectivity provider – Dialog Axiata PLC has announced that they will shut down their 3G data network in 2023 to free up spectrum and increase the capacity of its 4G Broadband network.
“This decision comes as part of Dialog Axiata’s ongoing efforts to provide the best possible mobile experience for its customers and is part of its continued efforts to introduce best-in-class, next-gen technologies to Sri Lankan consumers.” a company statement notes.
The statement further notes : “Usage of the 3G Network account for less than 1% of Dialog’s data traffic and re-farming/allocation the 3G spectrum to support 4G Broadband will provide a much higher bandwidth and thereby a better experience to Dialog 4G Mobile Broadband customers. This announcement follows the Company’s decision in June 2022, to suspended issuance of new 3G connections as part of the 3G network shutdown initiative.”
“Dialog requests its 3G network users to switch to the 4G network as well as enable 4G data services on existing 4G devices to access Mobile Broadband services. To support the current 3G network users with the transition to 4G, Dialog offers a wide range of best-in-value 4G Smartphones, Dialog Lesi Pay instalment plans and free-of-charge 4G SIM upgrades which can be availed through its service network. Dialog will continue to maintain its 2G GSM network that would support the growing demand for voice services in addition to Voice over LTE offered through the 4G Network.”
“We apologise for any inconvenience that may be caused due to the shutdown of our 3G network, and we thank our customers for their patience and understanding as we refarm 3G spectrum to further improve our 4G mobile broadband network.”
However, customer complaints have been rampant on the existing services of Dialog Axiata.
The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has warned to prosecute importers and retailers selling salt without proper labels, including missing manufacturer/importer info and retail price.
The public is advised not to buy such products, while distributors have urged to maintain valid invoices with supplier details or face legal consequences.
The National Book Traders Association says that the price of printed books has increased by 20% due to the imposition of Value Added Tax (VAT) and Nation Building Tax (NBT).
Sri Lanka Book Publishers’ Association President – Mr. Samantha Indeewara, made this statement while speaking at the annual anniversary event of the National Book Traders Association.
“The price of a book has increased by 20%, or about one-fifth. Officials are confusing the issue. Previously, there was a 15% VAT imposed on many items but there was no VAT on printed books. That’s what directly changed from 0% to 18%. Stationery previously had only 3% VAT. They are mixing up these two categories.”
“Around a week ago, there was a letter from the Presidential Secretariat stating that they are conducting an analysis regarding VAT and will subsequently provide an answer,” he added. Meanwhile, Mr. Gamini Moragoda, patron of the National Book Traders Association, also expressed his views to the media on the matter:
“A VAT that is not levied in any other country in the world is being imposed on our books. The introduction of this tax from Jan. 2024, which didn’t exist in Sri Lanka for 75 years, is destroying the book industry. If this continues, a child will not be able to afford a single book in the future,” he pointed out.
Despite the 06 months since the agreement was signed for the $3.7 billion Sinopec oil refinery in Hambantota, the project remains stalled due to unresolved disputes over local market access, reports reveal.
The project, signed during President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s state visit to Beijing in Jan. 2025, was touted as Sri Lanka’s largest-ever foreign direct investment (FDI) project.
It involves China’s state-owned petroleum giant Sinopec constructing a state-of-the-art refinery with a capacity of 200,000 barrels per day in Hambantota.
According to the media release issued by the President’s Media Division on the occasion of the signing in Jan. 2025, a substantial portion of the refinery’s output was planned for export, further enhancing the nation’s foreign exchange earnings.
“This major investment from China is expected to bolster Sri Lanka’s economic growth while uplifting the livelihoods of low-income communities in the Hambantota area. Moreover, the benefits of this project are anticipated to positively impact the overall Sri Lankan population in the near future,” the PMD release further noted.
According to ‘Daily Mirror’, the project has hit a snag over the government imposing a 20% cap on the company’s local sales, despite Sinopec’s demand for unrestricted access to Sri Lanka’s domestic fuel market.
A senior Energy Ministry official, on the condition of anonymity, has confirmed that no agreement has been reached on the market share issue, though discussions are underway to resolve the matter, the report adds.
