For over 25 years, Hutch’s journey has been one of steady transformation. From navigating the stages of introducing multiple technologies like 3G, 4G and presently 5G trials, and investing heavily in network expansion, the company has consistently pushed to offer very reliable connectivity. Following its acquisition of Etisalat in 2018, the company has focused on expanding its network capabilities, aiming to connect underserved areas and provide broader access to reliable services. With an enhanced infrastructure, it’s now in a phase of reaching new markets and ensuring that more communities benefit from improved connectivity. Today, Hutch is recognised by the Board of Investment as one of the highest contributors of Foreign Direct Investment into Sri Lanka. In this conversation, Hamdhy Hassen, Chief Marketing Officer of Hutch and Asanga Ranasinghe, Chief Technology & Information Officer of Hutch, share how, with the long-standing backing of the CK Hutchison Group, Hutch is helping shape Sri Lanka’s telecom connectivity and digital future.
What have been the most pivotal milestones in Hutch Sri Lanka’s evolution as a major telecommunications provider in the local market?
Asanga: Hutch has been here for more than 25 years. Despite facing significant challenges, including a war, a pandemic, and an economic downturn, we have been resilient. In the meantime, we’ve invested in technology to be ready when the market demands and have rolled out an island-wide network to support both 2G and 4G technologies. So, if you ask me what the pivotal moments are, the first is our merger with Etisalat Lanka in 2018, which enabled us to expand our footprint. Importantly, 2 years ago, we adopted a more assertive strategy to be a strong player in the market, shifting our investment focus for scale. We’ve invested in and developed data centers that meet international standards, while deploying fiber networks alongside a country landing station to provide high-speed connectivity. This infrastructure enables us to enhance services to our subscribers and drive the growth of the nation’s digital economy.
Hamdhy: The pivotal moment for both Sri Lanka and Hutch was CK Hutchison’s entry into the market itself. We are a subsidiary of a Fortune 500 global conglomerate present in more than 50 countries. Telecom businesses are established in 11 including developed markets across Europe and emerging Asian markets. The telecom market here presents its challenges, but Hutch has continued to thrive, providing stability and reliability for Sri Lanka. Its persistence is a great asset to the country, offering consistent service and long-term support. Otherwise, it would have resulted in fewer choices for consumers here, impacting affordability, availability, and quality of service. Following the amalgamation of Etisalat Lanka and our subsequent projects, the coverage and technology gaps were eliminated, and we’ve transformed into a full-fledged future ready operator.
How is Hutch working towards enhancing digital connectivity and customer experience in underserved regions?
Asanga: Beyond affordability and reliability, we’re also focused on inclusiveness. Almost 30% of Sri Lankan subscribers are still running on 2G technology, and broadband hasn’t reached rural areas by any of the operators as yet. This is one of the key areas that we are focusing on to ensure connectivity is there. If we’re talking about the digital economy or eGovernance, you first need to establish connectivity. In the first half of 2025, we’ve launched multiple new sites to bring broadband coverage to these areas, working alongside the government to bring connectivity to rural communities.
Hamdhy: Over the years we’ve succeeded in building a solid broadband network on a nationwide scale. However, there are some remote rural communities that are underserved where we are committed to drive inclusion. We are working with the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) through its Gamata Sannivedanaya programme, a joint effort to invest in rural communities and create inclusivity for broadband reach that will enable access to world-class education, encourage entrepreneurship and empower small businesses to open up the world as their marketplace.
How does Hutch cultivate a workplace culture that encourages innovation and aligns employees with its mission of digital inclusion?
Asanga: It starts with transparency, where even junior engineers know what’s happening across the organisation. Then comes empowerment, we’ve given responsibility to our employees to take ownership, with our support. Failure doesn’t mean they’ve failed, but that they’ll learn. If you take normal upskilling, it follows the 70-20-10 rule, where 70% of the learning happens on the job. This is where Hutch benefits from being part of a Fortune 500 company. The way we work is different, and the learnings we get from the Group are massive. Even if I need guidance, I can reach out to a CTO or CIO in the wider parent group for clarity. Digital inclusion comes at a cost, so everyone needs to be mindful of the cost of innovation as well. Innovations must be financially viable, so we encourage our staff to be financially conversant as well.
Hamdhy: We come from a global parent house, and there are several cultures that we can learn from. We’re very approachable and don’t read hierarchies. Anyone is accessible to anyone in here. We understand that we are one team, and we have one objective: to deliver a viable service that is loved by Sri Lankans. We are in an industry that changes by the day and is interconnected to so many other industries that rely on our services. Our teams, therefore, need to understand other industries beyond our own. We get them into industry and cross-industry networking sessions, several on-the-job skills development programmes and courses on our learning management system. We also exchange valuable learnings from our sister companies around the world. This global exposure helps us navigate opportunities with perspectives from emerging and developed markets, while also enabling us to share knowledge with key external stakeholders for national development.
As sustainability becomes a global imperative, how is Hutch reducing its environmental footprint, particularly in infrastructure development and energy use?
Hamdhy: Sustainability is an under-emphasised pillar across businesses in Sri Lanka. Alongside the efforts to expand our infrastructure, we’ve launched several sustainability initiatives. First, we’ve begun solarisation of network sites. We’ve expanded to measuring and taking action on the carbon footprint of our marketing efforts. One example is the introduction of eSIMs, which Hutch pioneered with a purpose in the Sri Lankan market. It cuts distribution costs, plastic use, and carbon emissions, cutting road trips by letting customers download them directly online, saving valuable time. We now measure every activity to see what we can change to be more sustainable. Often, it’s cheaper too. Beyond these internal efforts, we also engage in external ones. Recently, we gifted 100 e-bicycles to the Ministry of Education to help teachers and students who have poor transport access reach rural schools sustainably. There are also countless reforestation projects which we have commissioned to ensure we protect the ozone layer.
The Hutch Sri Lanka Head Office
Asanga: We advocate digital infrastructure sharing in the country. We have been working closely with TRCSL to implement policy and framework for telecommunication infrastructure sharing. Globally, infrastructure sharing is standard practice. It lowers per-user costs, accelerates rural rollouts while avoiding duplication of resources to reduce the environmental footprint. On the network front, we are selecting new technologies geared towards energy efficiency for our network and data centers. Also we are actively pursuing renewable energy solutions to power our network. This not only helps us but also benefits the entire country when we can operate while consuming less. Our commitment aligns with the CK Hutchison Group’s vision, with a clear focus on building a carbon-neutral network as we move forward.
How does Mobile Number Portability (MNP) and Digital Infrastructure Fuel Telecom Competition and Drive Digital Growth?
Hamdhy: MNP was first introduced nearly three decades ago in Singapore and is poised to reshape the telecom landscape here when it launches next year. For too long, subscribers have found themselves tethered to their existing operators, even when faced with unsatisfactory service, simply because switching meant losing their established phone numbers. The introduction of MNP will give individuals and businesses the freedom to choose service providers that best meet their needs, without the hassle of changing numbers. This move goes beyond convenience, it encourages healthy competition, driving all operators to focus on earning customer loyalty.
As a result, the market will see renewed investments in network quality, innovative services, and enhanced customer experiences. Central to this transformation is the role of robust digital infrastructure. Enabling seamless and secure digital number porting is critical to realizing the full potential of MNP. Today’s customers are accustomed to acquiring new telecom connections through digital channels, and the next logical step is to make number portability just as effortless and instantaneous. This evolution aligns with the government’s broader vision of a digital economy, one where pivotal life transactions, from opening bank accounts to renewing licenses and transferring large sums, can be executed digitally and efficiently.
Asanga: Shared digital infrastructure reduces entry barriers for new and smaller telecom players, enhancing competition further. It also supports cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence and automation, which improve operational efficiencies and speed up the delivery of innovative services. Digital infrastructure forms the backbone of both telecom competition and the broader digital economy. By providing the essential connectivity and platforms for innovation, it empowers individuals and businesses to thrive, spurring economic growth and job creation. MNP and shared infrastructure will be key catalysts for an inclusive digital future.
How does Hutch envision its role in supporting Sri Lanka’s digital economy and e-governance goals?
Asanga: A digital economy will only thrive with strong digital infrastructure, supportive policies, and a skilled workforce. Hutch has already invested significantly in international gateways, fibre backbones, and data centres. Over the next few years, Hutch’s strategy is not to build itself around buzzwords but to invest in digital infrastructure such as Cloud Infrastructure, Artificial Intelligence and to serve the underserved that align with national priorities to support Sri Lanka’s digital vision.
We’ve been discussing connectivity and digital infrastructure, without which you can’t talk about the digital economy. The next step is enabling the platform so others can build on top of it. Telecom operators have traditionally kept their systems and data to themselves, but we’re opening ours up. Through an open API (Application Programming Interface), anyone can connect and consume our services to build e-commerce platforms, analytics tools, and other digital services. This marks a shift from being just a service provider to becoming an enabler. Our role now is to provide the infrastructure, services, and ecosystem that allow others, including startups and institutions, to create, grow, and contribute to the digital economy.
Hamdhy: Today, enterprises rely on a variety of digital services provided by telecom operators. We’re not just about connectivity anymore. It’s about hosting application servers, providing secure online access, authenticating high-stakes transactions, accelerating digital payments with services like add-to-bill for essential services such as doctor booking, train ticket purchases and a plethora of lifestyle services. We are also in a sense a media house, enabling enterprises to market and communicate cost-effectively and interactively through specialised engagement platforms.
Our recent deployment of the API Gateway in partnership with the GSM Association (GSMA) and other operators, offers a standardised platform with common building blocks that businesses of all sizes and government services can use instantly to develop their eco-system of digital services be it building new applications, charging subscriptions, new age frictionless ‘trust services’ such as identity and transaction verifications beyond OTP. The telecom operator’s conventional role was to provide communication services. But today, the focus is far broader. We are enabling digital innovations that pave the way for a thriving digital economy, in which communication is just one pillar.