On the eve of Hutch’s 25th birthday, Hutch pledged to bridge the connectivity divide in Sri Lanka, by empowering the nation with high-quality mobile broadband experiences and affordable communication services for the times.
From its origins in 1997, Hutch has grown to be one of the largest networks in the country. After merging Etisalat’s Telecommunications Group’s Sri Lanka subsidiary in 2018, the Hutch 4G network now spans 95% of the population and is also poised in 5G readiness.
Hutch wants to support and enrich the lives of all Sri Lankans by envisioning a digitally connected resurgent nation. In spite of civil war and tough economic times, the company supports income to over 75,000 people nationwide who are directly or indirectly attached in the provision of its services.
During a celebratory event, Hutch CEOThirukumar Nadarasa said, “We don’t want to be a technology leader for the sake of technology. We are probably one of the leading 5G operators in the world today. But we understood that in Sri Lanka, we need to understand what the people really need first.”
Mr Nadarasa pointed out that a staggering 50% of the population is still not on mobile broadband, on an internet phone, or even on 3G. He reminded the public that Hutch’s objective is “to deliver affordable, accessible broadband internet services to the people.”
Stepping up its suite of services, Hutch customers can now also access the mGuide service, as part of an expansion by SLT-MOBITEL, the National ICT Solutions Provider, who is collaborating with the Department of Archaeology in Sri Lanka. mGuide is an interactive voice recording service that will enable Hutch customers to explore Sri Lanka through their mobiles by providing information on popular archaeological sites with renowned rich cultural heritage.