COLOMBP, Sri Lanka -- Lanka Bell, Sri Lanka’s leading telecommunications operator has entered into an agreement with FLAG Telecom, a 100% subsidiary of India’s Reliance Communications, to bring Sri Lanka on the 65,000 km long FLAG Global Network.

Under the US$ 27 mn agreement, FLAG Telecom’s FALCON Cable system will lay an undersea cable from its landing station on the southern coastline at Trivandrum to Colombo. The extensive optical fibre network will seamlessly connect with the 88,000 km long Reliance domestic terrestrial network covering the length and breadth of India. Through Mumbai it will provide abundant and high quality international connectivity in 38 countries across six continents through key business markets in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the USA.

Managing Director Lanka Bell Suren Goonewardene said that as a fully Sri Lankan owned corporate, Lanka Bell is committed to offering high quality telecom services to the fast growing requirements of enterprise and retail customers in Sri Lanka. “This tie up with FLAG Telecom means high speed data and internet access, and far superior quality IDD facilities to several thousands of customers all over the country. Once completed next year, the undersea cable link will enable us to offer them direct global connectivity and a complete end-to-end solution”, Goonewardene added.

Lanka Bell Ltd.

FLAG Telecom Ltd.