Mobile providers offer free calls and data to disaster-hit areas

To ease difficulties faced by the public during the prevailing disaster, mobile service providers have agreed not to deactivate telephone connections until 29 November. They have also committed to offering free calling for a limited number of minutes and free internet data when prepaid balances drop to Rs. 10, helping people maintain contact during the crisis.

A special meeting was held today to discuss the urgent restoration of communication facilities in disaster-affected areas. The meeting was chaired by the Deputy Minister of Digital Economy,  Eranga Weeraratne, and attended by the Director General of the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (TRCSL), Bandula Herath, TRCSL officials, Disaster Management Center representatives, Tri-Forces Disaster Management Unit members, and senior executives from mobile service providers.

Officials discussed both short-term and long-term measures to restore disrupted communication connections. The Disaster Management Department and the Tri-Forces were instructed to urgently repair damaged infrastructure. Coordination with the Electricity Board was also agreed upon to provide backup power to areas where connections were cut due to power outages.

The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission is overseeing the restoration process, with the government and service providers working together to fully restore all communication services as quickly as possible.