Business

Airtel offers newly structured, bundled package to local prepaid industry

Published

4 years ago

2021/08/19

By Neville Lahiru

Around the world, networking and telecommunications are constantly evolving as providers compete to claim the top spot in offering the best, most viable and affordable product, from facilitating a seamless networking experience, to ensuring easy accessibility with affordable pricing.

But to what extent do providers stick to this commitment of really giving the best of the best, especially in the prepaid industry?

A recent topic of discussion amongst prepaid users in Sri Lanka is the strategic segregation and pricing of reloads, with the revelation of deliberately leading customers into a vicious ‘reload trap’.

In a country that exceeds 29 million mobile connections and over 17 million broadband subscriptions (TRC Statistics, March 2021), mobile reloads are portrayed as offering so much more convenience to the average user, and many are convinced that they are getting the best deal out of their provider, through the plethora of data and voice bundles they can choose from.

Many local providers are offering monetary, data and other stipulated reload packages at attractive prices- but that’s all they really are, attractively priced. Looking closely at what’s going on, customers are essentially spending on average, 10-12 different prepaid packages to get access to different online applications and top-ups for voice which are available in smaller denominations (i.e. Rs.20, Rs.50, etc).

This trend of compartmentalising voice and data offerings is the prime cause for customers constantly topping up their accounts, as most customers’ purchasing behaviour is used to the current prepaid system. This trend has resulted in over three million reload cards being purchased a day, totalling a colossal 90 million a month.

Additionally, with the recent lockdowns around the country, it was clear that providers have also taken advantage by segregating their data offerings for work-from-home and online learning, another ‘best deal’ for customers to add to their monthly reload budget.

As well as the constant nag to check on their existing data and credit packages, and whether they need to get more reloads, the financial strain on customers through this pricing model is also irrefutably high to most, but instead of challenging the norms, they go with the flow in purchasing what is available to them in the current prepaid market. This clearly needs to change.

The basic notion of utilising a prepaid connection is to control and ease the financial and mental burden of customers by allowing them to purchase only what they need, when they need it. While the proposed freedom of choice is appealing, in reality, it is far from it. What needs to be understood by most is that the facility to stay connected and consume data is no longer a privilege or luxury- it is an essential.

Seeing the ‘essential’ aspect being incorporated as well as emphasis being placed on the need to facilitate users to stay connected with a solid network coverage for an affordable price, Airtel’s ‘4G Freedom Packs’ seem to be a step in the right direction for the sustainability of consumers, and the transparency of the telecommunications industry.

Airtel’s ‘4G Freedom Packs’ are designed from the ground up to offer four single market-disrupting rates which promise to cover the data, voice and SMS needs for an entire month, as per the user’s requirement.

With most of Sri Lanka’s prepaid customers who are used to the pre-existing reload offerings being unfamiliar with Airtel’s ‘4G Freedom Packs’, the perks of activating such a package far outweigh the concerns- if any. This refined product, while refreshing the prepaid industry, essentially cuts 10-12 recharges for one simple recharge which is valid for a whole month.

Customers can witness significant savings and a worry-free experience as well, with the elimination of the need for frequent and cumbersome reloads.

For example, the Rs.999 Freedom Pack, which is the largest package, offers customers 60GB of anytime data, which is divided among a 2GB/day quota to ensure that customers will have a substantial amount of daily data for the entire validity of the package.

Around the same price point, other providers offer only a fraction of the data and voice offerings, sometimes with a totally separate package which has to be purchased for talk time.

Airtel to Airtel calls are also unlimited throughout the validity of these packages and free minutes are allocated for Airtel to other networks, and if these minutes run out, customers will only be charged 50 cents per minute, the lowest rate in the industry, accounting only for the interconnect fee when connecting to another network.

Senior management at Airtel have also pro-actively expressed their interest to make the ‘voice’ call facility free-of-charge, with the idea that the basic need to stay connected through voice calls is essential for all people and it’s not something that they should be charged for. It’s an encouraging sight to see a telecom giant address this facility, with hopes of a definitive advantage to the end-consumer.

With the penetration of a newly structured and practically bundled package by Airtel to the local prepaid industry, we’re likely to see other providers follow suit eventually. Often, the influence of a never-before-experienced product in the telecom industry is felt by other providers who will compete to deliver a product with similar or better value. Thus, offering a customer-centric edge in telecommunication advancements.

The point is, it’s important that customers take a closer look at the services they pay for instead of taking it all at face value. Are you paying more for less data? Are there any speed or capacity limitations? Is your internet coverage even worth it? These are all questions worth asking before subscribing to any service.

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Business

Dialog delivers strong growth, stronger national contribution in FY 2025

Published

9 hours ago

2026/02/10

Sahan Weerasooriya

Dialog Axiata PLC announced, Friday 6th February 2026, its consolidated financial results (Reviewed) for the year ended 31st December 2025. Financial results included those of Dialog Axiata PLC (the “Company”) and of the Dialog Axiata Group (the “Group”).

Group Performance

The Group delivered a strong performance across Mobile, Fixed Line and Digital Pay Television businesses recording a positive Core Revenue growth of 16% Year to Date (“YTD”). Group Headline Revenue reached Rs179.6Bn, up 5% YTD, despite the continued strategic scaling down of low-margin international wholesale business. In Q4 2025, Revenue was recorded at Rs46.5Bn up 2% Quarter-on-Quarter (“QoQ”) and 2% Year-on-Year (“YoY”).

The Group Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortisation (“EBITDA”) reached Rs86.0Bn up 30% YTD supported by Core Revenue performance and Cost Rescaling Initiatives. On a QoQ basis Group EBITDA demonstrated a modest growth to record at Rs23.0Bn up 2% QoQ with an EBITDA margin of 49.5% in line with the Revenue performance. Group EBITDA margin reached 47.9% for FY 2025, up 9.2pp.

Group Net Profit After Tax (“NPAT”) reached Rs20.8Bn for FY 2025, up 67% YTD mainly resulting from robust EBITDA growth, despite higher tax and net finance costs. Normalized for forex impact, NPAT growth was recorded at +>100% YTD to reach Rs22.1Bn. On a QoQ basis NPAT grew 3% to reach Rs5.9Bn resulting from strong EBITDA performance.

On the back of strong operational performance, the Group recorded Operating Free Cash Flow (“OFCF”)

of Rs49.3Bn for FY 2025 up >100% YTD.

Dividend Payment to Shareholders

In line with the dividend policy and financial performance of the Group and taking into account the forward investment requirements to serve the nation’s demand for Broadband and Digital services, the Board of Directors of Dialog Axiata PLC at its meeting held on 6th February 2026, resolved to propose for consideration by the Shareholders of the Company, a dividend to ordinary shareholders amounting to Rs1.50 per share. The said dividend, if approved by shareholders, would translate to a Dividend Yield of 5.0% based on share closing price for FY 2025. The dividend so proposed will be considered for approval by the shareholders at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Company, the date pertaining to which would be notified in due course.

Company and Subsidiary Performance

At an entity level, Dialog Axiata PLC (the “Company”) continued to be the primary contributor to Group Revenue (76%) and Group EBITDA (74%). Aided by sustained growth in the Data segment and cost-rescaling initiatives, Company revenue was recorded at Rs135.8Bn for FY 2025, up 18% YTD, EBITDA rose 32% YTD to reach Rs63.6Bn. On a QoQ basis, Q4 2025 Revenue was recorded at Rs34.8Bn, down 1% QoQ due to a reclassification of Hubbing Revenue, while EBITDA decline 1% QoQ to record Rs17.0Bn, largely attributable to network restoration costs and donations made in relation to the Cyclone Ditwah relief efforts. Furthermore, NPAT was recorded at Rs15.6Bn for FY 2025, up 41% YTD. Normalised for forex impacts, the company NPAT was up +>100% YTD to reach Rs17.0Bn. On a QoQ basis, Company NPAT was recorded at Rs4.5Bn, down 6% QoQ.

Business

Ceylinco Life’s Pranama Scholarships reach 25-year milestone

Published

9 hours ago

2026/02/10

Sahan Weerasooriya

Ceylinco Life has announced the launch of the 25th consecutive edition of its flagship Pranama Scholarships programme, marking a significant milestone in the company’s long-standing commitment to recognising and rewarding excellence among the children of its policyholders.

Under the 2026 programme, the life insurance market leader will present scholarships with a total cumulative value of Rs. 22.7 million, continuing a rewards initiative that has now been conducted without interruption for a quarter of a century. Since its inception, the Ceylinco Life Pranama Scholarships programme has benefitted 3,466 students across the country, representing a total investment of Rs. 240 million in nurturing academic achievement and outstanding performance in sports, arts and other extracurricular pursuits.

Business

Sri Lankans’ artistic genius glowingly manifests at Kala Pola ‘26

Published

9 hours ago

2026/02/10

Sahan Weerasooriya

The spirit of Sri Lanka as it was ably captured by an artist.

The artistic genius of Sri Lankans was amply manifest all over again at ‘Kala Pola ‘26’ which was held on February 8th at Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha Colombo 7; the usual, teeming and colourful venue for this annual grand exhibition and celebration of the work of local visual artists.

If there is one thing that has flourished memorably and resplendently in Sri Lanka over the centuries it is the artistic capability or genius of its people. It is something that all Sri Lankans could feel a sense of elation over because from the viewpoint of the arts, Sri Lanka is second to no other nation. With regard to the visual arts a veritable dazzling radiance of this inborn and persisting capability is seen at the annual open air ‘Kala Pola’.

A bird of Sri Lanka created from scraps of iron waste.

All capable visual artists, wherever they hail from in Sri Lanka, enjoy the opportunity of exhibiting their work at the ‘Kala Pola’ and this is a distinctive ‘positive’ of this annual event that draws numberless artists and viewers. There was an abundance of paintings, sketches and sculptures, for instance, and one work was as good as the other. Ample and equal space was afforded each artist. Its widely participatory and open nature enables one to describe the exhibition as exuding a profoundly democratic ethos.

Accordingly, this time around at ‘Kala Pola ‘26’ too Sri Lankans’ creative efforts were there to be viewed, studied and enjoyed in the customary carnival atmosphere where connoisseurs, local and foreign, met in a sprit of camaraderie and good cheer. Many thanks are owed once again to the George Keyt Foundation for the presentation of the event in association with the John Keells Group and the John Keells Foundation, not forgetting the Nations Trust Bank, which was the event’s Official Banking Partner. The exhibition was officially declared open by Chief Guest Marc-Andre Franche, UN Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka.

By Lynn Ockersz