Strengthening global connectivity for an island nation
How to build a resilient international internet backbone.
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How Sri Lanka Telecom strengthened its international internet backbone
Operating from an island nation with a population of 22 million, Sri Lanka Telecom depends heavily on international connectivity developed through its own investments as well as through global partnerships, in delivering reliable internet services. PCCW Global has continuously helped SLT strengthen its global backbone, expand network reach and improve the flexibility of its traffic routing.
With Points of Presence (PoPs) in key connectivity hubs such as Singapore, Hong Kong, India and France, Sri Lanka Telecom sources international capacity and exchanges traffic with major carriers. Leveraging PCCW Global’s network interconnections and MPLS VPN services has enabled Sri Lanka Telecom to customise traffic distribution, enhance operational agility and extend connectivity globally.
Company overview
Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) is the largest national Information and Communications Technology (ICT) solutions provider and the leading broadband and backbone infrastructure provider in Sri Lanka, delivering voice, data, broadband and enterprise services to over nine million customers.
SLT plays a pivotal role in enabling global connectivity for government institutions, enterprises and consumers by leveraging its robust international network infrastructure. This network is built on SLT’s own submarine cable capabilities and strengthened through strategic partnerships with leading global digital infrastructure providers, including PCCW Global.
Challenge: Optimising global traffic and expanding network reach
Delivering reliable internet services from an island nation requires efficient management of international traffic flows. Sri Lanka Telecom has strengthened its internet backbone into a highly competitive global platform, positioning among top 50 leading ISPs worldwide.
As part of this journey, SLT has expanded connectivity beyond its existing PoP locations through reliable carrier partnerships who are capable of providing interconnections, backhaul services and local loops in international markets.
Apart from its own investments in global submarine cable systems, international backhauls and global peering arrangements, Sri Lanka Telecom identified the need for enhanced solutions that could:
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Enable greater control over international traffic routing.
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Support rapid expansion beyond existing PoP locations.
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Provide visibility into connectivity options and pricing.
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Ensure reliable operational support for customer services.
Solution: Leveraging PCCW Global’s international network
By partnering with PCCW Global, Sri Lanka Telecom further strengthened its international backbone and expanded its connectivity capabilities.
As one of Sri Lanka Telecom’s key strategic partners, PCCW Global enabled SLT to extend connectivity beyond its own network footprint by providing interconnections at global Points of Presence (PoPs) through its extensive carrier ecosystem and robust network infrastructure for MPLS VPN services.
The services provided by PCCW Global were further enhanced by the Console Connect platform, which integrates with PCCW Global’s infrastructure to enable automated switching and routing, improving service delivery to customers.
This support improved Sri Lanka Telecom’s capabilities to:
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Extend its global network reach further through interconnections at major PoP locations, especially in the East Asia region.
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Customise traffic routing, allocating specific traffic proportions across hubs such as Hong Kong, Singapore and Japanese internet exchanges.
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Improve operational efficiency with faster provisioning and improved visibility into connectivity options.
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Access more internet exchange routes and rich global content.
Whenever we need customer connectivity outside our PoP locations, PCCW Global supports us through interconnections at their PoP sites, allowing us to expand our network reach using their infrastructure.
Gayani Gunasekara
General Manager, Sri Lanka Telecom
Outcomes: A stronger backbone and wider regional reach
Through its partnership with PCCW Global, Sri Lanka Telecom has strengthened its global connectivity and improved service delivery for both domestic and international customers.
Expanded global connectivity
With a stronger backbone, Sri Lanka Telecom has expanded its global market with connectivity services across Asia, Africa and Europe.
Faster operational decision-making
Improved visibility into connectivity options and pricing has streamlined planning and provisioning, saving time for internal teams.
Reliable customer support
Consistent technical support from PCCW Global has contributed to faster issue resolution and dependable service delivery.
A mutually beneficial partnership
The relationship also includes reciprocal infrastructure sharing, such as submarine cable capacity and backhaul services, creating long-term value for both organisations.