SLT improves location-based public Wi-Fi Hotspot services

Thursday, 21 July 2016 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) has improved its post-paid and pre-paid Wi-Fi services by continuously expanding its hotspots coverage in important locations with Wi-Fi hotspots broadcasting SSID: ‘SLT broadband’. The company introduced a range of pre-paid options to improve user convenience. Recently, the latest addition of carrier-grade Wi-Fi hotspots to its network went live at the University of Peradeniya.

In Sri Lanka, SLT launched the first ever cutting-edge carrier-grade public Wi-Fi network to provide a better broadband experience for Internet consumers. Getting connected to SLT Wi-Fi hotspots, now users are able connect with the largest broadband network and experience the next evolution in wireless broadband connectivity through any Wi-Fi enabled device. SLT Wi-Fi hotspots are located at most public places and its coverage is being expanded to cover all such public places in all main cities.

Existing SLT broadband customers can use the same username and password of their home broadband service to connect with Public Wi-Fi services seamlessly without any new registrations. All SLT Wi-Fi hotspots are open to prepaid users as well. Cards are available from Rs. 100 onwards or users can reload the account online via SLT’s “Web Self-Care” pre-paid Wi-Fi portal. SLT offers pre-paid services with three top-up options of Rs. 100, Rs. 300 and Rs. 500 that offer 500 MB, 2 GB & 4 GB data volumes respectively. SLT has enhanced convenience for Internet users by making pre-paid Wi-Fi Internet cards available online for purchase through credit cards, at its Regional offices, Teleshops and authorised dealers islandwide.

SLT Chief Marketing Officer Ajantha Seneviratne said: “Wi-Fi services as the comparatively economical solution for Internet access than mobile data, will compliment mobile networks and allow users to download and upload as much data as they like without the worry of exceeding their data allowance on their mobile data packages. Being the national ICT solutions provider deploying a cutting-edge ‘carrier-grade’ public Wi-Fi technology in Sri Lanka, we extend our fullest support to the Government’s initiative to increase the current Internet penetration in the country towards the set target. With the notable increase in smart devices in the market, we really focused on improving our services both indoor and outdoor. Especially internet user experience on smart devices is a clear differentiator of our brand.”

Traffic volumes on fixed networks will continue to dominate data traffic globally as well as locally, including the traffic off-loaded to such fixed networks. With the exploding growth and impact of mobile devices and lifestyles, it is globally estimated that Wi-Fi traffic off-loaded to fixed networks from both mobile devices and Wi-Fi-only devices together, will account for more than half (53%) of total IP traffic by 2019, up from 41% in 2014.