எந்தவொரு செல்போன் வலையமைப்புகளிடையேயும் ஒரே இலக்கத்தை பாவிக்கலாம் Mobile Number Portability - very soon

உங்கள் செல்போன் சேவை வழங்குனரின் சேவை பிடிக்கவில்லையா? ஆனால் செல்போன் இலக்கத்தை மாற்ற விருப்பம் இல்லையா? இன்னும் 6 மாதத்தில் உங்களுக்கு தீர்வு கிடைக்கும்.

இலக்கங்களை வலையமைப்புகளிடையே மாற்றிக்கொள்வதற்கு தேவையான கட்டமைப்புகளை செய்வதற்காக உலக வங்கி; இலங்கை தொலைத்தொடர்புகள் ஒழுங்கமைப்பு ஆணைக்குழுவுக்கு 472,000 அமெரிக்க டொலர் மானியம் வழங்கியுள்ளது.

இது தொடர்பான தீர்மானத்தை 2007ஆம் ஆண்டு இலங்கை அரசாங்கம் எடுத்திருந்தது.

Want to change your mobile service provider but still prefer using the old number? That would be a reality very soon with the implementation of the World Bank-aided Mobile Number Portability (MNP) programme.

The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRC), has received a grant of US$ 472,000 from the Institutional Development Fund (IDF) under the World Bank to develop its knowledge base and implementation capacity, enabling it to design and implement this programme, a senior official of the TRC told the Business Times.

MNP enables mobile telephone users to retain their mobile telephone numbers when changing from one mobile network operator to another. Number portability has the potential to substantially enhance the benefits of competition to consumers, he said, adding that the new system will be introduced in six months.

The World Bank grant will also be used to engage a consulting firm to assist it in the establishment of the necessary regulatory framework for implementing. However private mobile service providers are of the view that they would have to upgrade their infrastructure to enable appropriate re-routing of calls to subscribers who have ported (exited) from their network.

The manner of handling such routing and data management is critical as any inefficiency here will directly lead to inefficiency in transmission and switching capacity, and could in some cases also lead to lost calls.

The industry requires the maintenance and updating of a repository of ported number database — either at an individual network or at a central level. This involves additional costs for operators initially, and on an ongoing basis, Dialog telecom sources said.

The Sri Lankan government decided in August 2007 to introduce number portability for cellular phones in Sri Lanka.

டயலொக் இன் பெயர் மாறும் Dialog intends to change its name

இலங்கையின் செல்போன் சேவை வழங்குனரான டயலொக், அதன் தாய் நிறுவனம் பெயரை மாற்றிக்கொண்டதன் காரணமாக தனது பெயரையும் அக்சியாடா என்று மாற்றிக்கொள்ளவிருக்கிறது.

Sri Lanka's dominant wireless operator Dialog Telekom intends to change its name to Dialog Axiata, following the renaming of its Malsyaian parent firm, a stock exchange filing said.

The proposed name "will accurately reflect its corporate identity," Dialog said in a statement.
The proposed name is a combination of the brand 'Dialog' and the name of the parent firm, Axiata Group Berhad in Malaysia.

The parent firm was earlier called TM International and renamed as Axiata Group in May 2009.

Dialog Telekom said the name change is subject to approvals from shareholders and the company registrar.(LBO)

ஹேலீஸின் கட்டுபாட்டில் கொன்டினென்டல் ஹோட்டல் - Hayleys purchase city hotel

சிலோன் கொன்டினென்டல் ஹோட்டலை ஹேலீஸ் வாங்கியது

நாஹில் விஜயசூரியவின் கட்டுப்பாட்டில் இருந்த பெரும்பான்மையான் பங்குகளை வாங்கியதன் மூலம் ஹேலீஸ் நிறுவனம் கொழும்பு கொன்டினென்டல் ஹோட்டலின் 51% ஆன பங்குகளுக்கு உடமையாளராகியுள்ளது.

ஹேலீஸ் நிறுவனம் ஏற்கெனவே ஜெட்விங் நிறுவனத்துடன் சேர்ந்து 6 ஹோட்டல்களை நிர்வகிக்கிறது.

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Hayleys PLC declared its intention to get into ‘big time’ leisure when the company bought a 51 % stake in Ceylon Continental Hotel’s owning company, Hotel Services PLC’s on Friday for Rs 1.9 billion.
Colombo's first 5-star hotel which has changed hands in recent years saw Nahil Wijesuriya, the Chairman at Hotel Services shedding 51% out of his total 75% to Hayleys. Mr. Wijesuriya said that he doesn’t want to sell the balance stake he owns. “We are left with 24% and we see a huge upside potential with the involvement of the Hayleys Group in Continental," he told the Business Times.

Industry sources said that Hayleys’ decision to set up Hayleys Leisure Holdings (Pvt) Ltd (exclusively reported in the Business Times last week) as its sixth sector confirms its bid to expand the reach into leisure and become the third (biggest) player in the market. “This is the leisure arm of Hayleys PLC and it will manage Continental,” an industry source said, adding that Hayleys major shareholder, businessman Dhammika Perera is behind this decision to buy Continental.

A Hayleys official said that the company wants to expand in the leisure industry with a strong focus on hotels, inbound tourism and aviation. He said that Hayleys is scouting for properties around the island in a bid to capitalize on the tourism boom, and the Continental purchase is its first, independent hotel stake. Hayleys, together with Jetwing, own six hotels –Tropical Villas, Jetwing Beach, Hunas Falls, Lighthouse and they own a land at Nilaveli as well.

டியூலக்ஸ் நீதிமன்றத்தில் - Dulux sued by competitor

பிரபல பெயின்ட் வகையான டியூலக்ஸ், மற்ற நிறுவனங்களை பாதிக்கும் பிழையான் விளம்பர வாசகம் ஒன்றை பாவித்ததன் காரணமாக நீதிமன்றத்திற்கு இழுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. "சர்வதேச பாதுகாப்பு நியமங்களுக்கு அமைவான ஒரேயொரு பெயின்ட் வகை" என்ற வாசகத்தை எதிர்த்து மக்சன்ஸ் நிறுவனம் வழக்கு தாக்கல் செய்துள்ளது.

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Paint AkzoNobel Paints Lanka (Pvt) Ltd has been taken to court over its position that its ‘Dulux’ brand is the only brand which conforms to international safety standards for lead and basing its claim on the global study ‘Lead in new decorative paints’ issued by IPEN and Toxics Link, two NGOs.
The plaintiff, Macksons Paints Lanka (Pvt) Ltd filed the case in the commercial high court of the Western Province on March 8 alleging that AkzoNobel has carried out its campaign through various forms of media and advertising campaigns and is asking for a judgment and decree of Rs.10 million as damages with legal interest.

AkzoNobel’s campaign comes at a time which is peak season for the paint industry, immediately prior to the Sinhala and Tamil New Year which falls in April. According to court documents, Macksons was granted an enjoining order and interim injunction till March 23, preventing and/or restraining the defendant and its agents from marketing the ‘Dulux’ brand as the only safe brand.

AkzoNobel Managing Director Gerald De Saram was overseas and couldn’t be reached for comment.
According to the petition, the attorney for the plaintiff stated that the report ‘Lead in new decorative paints’ issued by the NGO said that there are nine major companies producing paints in Sri Lanka including Macksons. The report stated that the NGO has tested ex-facie in terms of the report, paints from four brands but not of the plaintiff’s. The report has named the products of the companies and the companies of which the paints have been tested and concluded that the defendant company’s paints were the safest.

The petition said although the plaintiff has been named as a major producer of paints, its products have not been tested. ‘Acting on this self serving report, the defendant company has launched a campaign which will be seen by advertisements to state that of all the paints tested in Sri Lanka, only the product of the plaintiff conforms to international safety standards,’ the proceedings state.

It added that the defendant’s campaign has been designed with the Sinhala and Tamil New Year in mind which is a peak time in April. The attorney stated that the defendant’s advertisements amount to unfair competition which is misleading the public. He further stated that Macksons paints have also been tested and reports clearly show that they conform to international standards.

According to court documents, lead has traditionally been used as a raw material in the manufacture of paints and is mainly used as a drying agent and found in chrome pigments. The use of lead is mainly found in enamel paints whereas water based paints such as emulsion paints generally do not contain lead unless some chrome pigments or specialty additives are included in certain colors. Research carried out in the industry has revealed that lead may be harmful to the human body, especially to children.

ஓமான் எயாரில் பயணிக்கும்போது டுவிட்டலாம்

ஓமானின் தேசிய விமானசேவையான "ஓமான் எயார்", தனது சேவை மீண்டும் ஆரம்பிப்பது சுற்றுலா துறையின் வளர்ச்சிக்கு முக்கிய பங்காற்றும் என கூறுகிறது.

ஓமான் எயார் இன் நாளாந்த சேவைகள் இன்னும் 6 மாதத்தில் ஆரம்பிக்கப்படும்.

கடந்த நவம்பர் மாதம் முதல் கொழும்பு - மஸ்கட் இடையே வாரத்திற்கு 4 நாட்கள் சேவை இடம்பெறுகிறது.

மார்ச் முதல் எயார்பஸ் A330 விமானங்களில் மொபைல் போன் பாவிக்கவும், இணைய சேவையை பெறவும் முடியுமாக இருக்கும். இது சகல தர (First, Business and Economy classes) பயணிகளுக்குமானதாகும்.

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Oman Air, the national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman, said that re-commencing its flights to Sri Lanka would help the country's tourism industry grow. The airline will commence daily flights to the country within six months.

Chief Executive Officer of Oman Air Peter Hill, addressing the media yesterday during his first official visit as the CEO of Oman Air, said that it was great to be in Colombo and asserted that the future was great for the tourism industry in Sri Lanka.

"Sri Lanka has everything that tourists have in mind and we see great potential in bringing more and more tourists to Sri Lanka," he added.

Hill said that flights to Colombo were launched in November last year with four weekly frequencies between Muscat, the capital of the Sultanate of Oman, and Colombo.

"Sri Lanka has proven to be a welcome addition to the ever-expanding Oman Air network. We have reasons to believe that our customers are thrilled with this destination, as Sri Lanka has everything a tourist wants to explore, experience and see. Together with the new A330 aircraft that are deployed into this segment and the spectacular natural beauty that the place is known for, our valued customers can surely have an enjoyable holiday," he emphasised.

Hill went on to say: "Our service to this destination is also viewed as a boon by the many Sri Lankan expatriates working in Oman, who have started using our services. Sri Lanka is a place that can be visited the whole year round and is rated as one of the top tourist destinations in the world. With Oman Air's exemplary services and products, I am sure this will open up a whole new experience for discerning travellers, especially in Oman."

Commenting on the delay in launching its flights to Colombo, Hill said that there was a misunderstanding for some time, following which the Government of Sri Lanka had resolved the matter.

"At the time we requested landing rights in Sri Lanka, the national airline was already enjoying rights in Muscat. There was a misunderstanding and that was rectified and now we are back in Sri Lanka," the CEO said.

The airline said it would be offering the full connectivity suite (Mobile On Air and Internet On Air) on its commercial wide-body aircraft when it starts to unroll full mobile phone and wi-fi connectivity across its brand new Airbus A330 fleet, towards the beginning of March 2010.

This move will enable passengers in First, Business and Economy classes to make and receive mobile phone calls, SMS, use email and the internet and keep up to-date with social networking media such as Facebook and Twitter.

பிஜே இன் புதிய 2 ஹோட்டல்கள் - PJ banks on tourism boom with two new hotels

பிஜே ஹோட்டல்ஸ் நிறுவனம் "அபோரிஜினல்ஸ் பீச் ரெசோர்ட்" என்ற பெயரில் 505 அறைகளை கொண்ட ஹோட்டலை கிழக்கிலும்

"பிஜே ரோயல் லைன் ஹொடேல்" அன்ற பெயரில் 1002 அறைகளுடனான ஹொட்டேலை ஹம்பாந்தோட்டையிலும் அமைக்கவிருக்கிறது.

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Tapping into the tourism boom Prasanna Jayewardene's PJ Hotels plans two more mega projects adding over 1500 rooms to their existing numbers with several more projects in the pipeline.

The 505 roomed PJ 'ABORIGINAL'S BEACH RESORT' in the East coast and 1002 roomed 'PJ ROYAL LINE HOTEL' in Hambantota are now in the concept stage of PJ Hotels Development, according to a press release from the company. It also stated that several more large projects would be added as well.

"For us the time could not be better to go fast forward with all our new hotel developments" said PJ Hotels Chairman Prasanna Jayewardene, adding "President Mahinda Rajapakse has not emphasized tourism in the second phase of his Mahinda Chintanaya" because rightly his focus is on all aspects of development of the people of the country. It is left to entrepreneurs and private business to do the business of tourism while the government looks after the broad frame."

He continued with "The war with all its negatives and destruction has now given us the positive of only a basic tourist development which gives the opportunity to leap forward learning from our neighbours and new market trends to make us highly competitive
"I believe we can have 10 million arrivals by the end of the decade in 2020. The 10 day stay we are used to will drop to 2-3 day stays due to our future markets being regional. The impact of this kind of numbers will be far reaching and almost every citizen will feel it." Jayewardene also insisted that they would look for other larger projects in the near future. "We are looking at all our current projects in the planning stage, to be completed by 2016, the year the President has set a target of 2500 arrivals for" As a policy the PJ Hotel group will concentrate solely on Sri Lanka where they see the greatest opportunities and find the operating climate not only comfortable but also very conducive.

இலங்கையில் ஆடைத்தயாரிப்பில் முதலீடு செய்யும் ஹொங்கொங்

ரூபா 35 மில்லியன் முதலீட்டில், மார்க்ஸ் அன்ட் ஸ்பென்சர் நிறுவனத்திற்காக பெண்களுக்கான ஆடைகளை தைக்கும் தொழிற்சாலை ஒன்றை ஹொங் கொங் நிறுவனம் ஒன்று இலங்கையில் நிறுவ இருக்கிறது.

ஐரோப்பிய யூனியனால் ஜிஎஸ்பி பிளஸ் வசதி இலங்கைக்கு நிறுத்தப்பட்டு சில நாட்களில் இச்செய்தி வெளியாகியுள்ளது.

இத்தொழிற்சாலை நுவரெலியாவில் அமையும்

The Board of Investment, Sri Lanka’s investment promotion agency, said it had given approval for investors, including a Hong Kong firm, to set up clothing factories for export.

The announcement came just days after the European Union said it would withdraw duty free access given to Sri Lanka because of concerns over alleged human rights abuses.

The BOI said in a statement that it had signed an investment agreement for 35 million rupees with Interfashion Limited, a firm sponsored by Banke Textile Asia of Hong Kong. “The company will manufacture high-value ladies formal wear for Marks & Spencer and Tesco.”

The company expects to operate with a 60,000 production capacity a month.

The production facility, located at Nuwara Eliya in the central hills, will provide initial employment for a workforce of 250 which is expected to be increased up to 1,200.

BOI approval entitles investors to concessions like tax breaks and duty free imports of machinery and raw materials while further incentives are given to firms setting up plants in rural areas.

The BOI also said it signed another investment agreement with Trendywear Adhikarigama which will invest 315 million rupees to put up a plant to manufacture ladies high fashion garments for the export market.