The Government is working on guidelines for infrastructure sharing among mobile service providers, with the aim of improving services to the public, reducing costs and maintaining competition, Deputy Minister of Digital Economy Eranga Weeraratne said.
He said the measures include regulations relating to Significant Market Power (SMP) and infrastructure sharing, which would enable mobile operators to use network infrastructure established by other companies instead of making separate investments.
However, a key challenge is the cost of accessing such infrastructure, as the companies that own it determine the prices charged to other operators.
“When the company that builds the infrastructure sets a high price for sharing it, other companies face difficulties,” Weeraratne said.
He explained that high infrastructure-sharing charges could make it difficult for operators to provide services to consumers at affordable rates.
The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) is therefore working on market cost guidelines to establish a pricing framework, including guidance on the maximum charges for sharing infrastructure. (Newswire)