EDOTCO Services Lanka Pvt Ltd (EDOTCO Sri Lanka) has deployed 400 resilient power systems throughout Sri Lanka to enhance the reliability of telecommunications networks during natural disasters and extended power outages.
This initiative represents a USD 1.7 million investment (approximately LKR 500 million) and is designed to ensure uninterrupted service at mission-critical telecom sites in the event of grid failures, severe weather, or national emergencies. EDOTCO aims to expand the rollout to 1,000 power-resilient sites by mid-2026, with a total planned investment of around LKR 1.2 billion, significantly boosting network reliability nationwide.
The rollout follows the impact of Cyclone Ditwah, which brought heavy rainfall, severe flooding, and landslides across Sri Lanka, affecting 2.3 million people and disrupting power and communications infrastructure. At the height of the crisis, over 2,000 telecom sites were affected, resulting in several districts losing mobile and data services for periods ranging from two to five days.
Major causes of network outages included prolonged grid power failures, fibre cuts due to floods and landslides, site flooding in low-lying areas, and restricted access that delayed restoration efforts. Guided by the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL), mobile operators, utilities, and the military coordinated a response that restored approximately 90% of affected sites within a week.
“The recent floods were a stark reminder that telecommunications is no longer just a commercial service—it is a national lifeline during emergencies,” stated Air Vice Marshal Bandula Hearth (retd.), Director General of TRCSL. “Strengthening power resilience and redundancy at network sites is essential to safeguard public safety, emergency coordination, and economic continuity as climate risks intensify.”
The new power systems are deployed as shared infrastructure, supporting all three mobile network operators—Dialog, Hutch, and Mobitel—to improve efficiency and reduce duplication.
Each system is equipped with extended battery backup, rectifiers, standby generators, associated cabins, and alternate power modules, and is engineered with defined Mean Time to Respond (MTTR) targets to enable rapid restoration during outages.
“Cyclone Ditwah made it clear that power resilience is the weakest link in network continuity and we must change how telecom infrastructure is designed and operated,” said Gayan Koralage, Country Managing Director, EDOTCO Sri Lanka. “This milestone reflects our commitment to ensuring networks remain operational when communities need them most. Power resilience is no longer optional. It is the backbone of national digital resilience.”
EDOTCO Sri Lanka is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Malaysia’s EDOTCO Group, a regional integrated telecommunications infrastructure services provider and the sixth-largest tower company globally. It is the first dedicated tower company in Sri Lanka to be awarded an Infrastructure Provider License, marking a key milestone in the country’s telecommunications sector.
EDOTCO Sri Lanka remains committed to supporting the nation’s digital transformation by expanding network coverage, strengthening resilience, and promoting sustainable infrastructure practices such as clean energy adoption and environmentally responsible design. Through collaboration with regulators, mobile network operators, and key stakeholders, EDOTCO Sri Lanka continues to reinforce the nation’s communications backbone and advance inclusive digital access across the country.
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