May 2010, Colombo, Bharti Airtel Lanka, a subsidiary of Bharti Airtel, one of Asia’s leading integrated solution providers today announced the launch of its most affordable Roaming, IDD and GPRS Solution to India against current market rates. Leveraging on its global efficiencies of scale, Airtel offers Sri Lanka’s annual India bound travel population of 100,000, with a 99% benefit on roaming rates and a 60% benefit on IDD calls to India.

Announcing the launch, Amali Nanayakkara, CEO, Bharti Airtel Lanka said, “With Bharti Airtel’s agility to optimise global synergies across its international operations, we are uniquely poised to deliver significant economies of scale for customer benefit and delight. Airtel’s introduction of the most affordable Voice and GPRS Roaming and IDD rates to India has also generated enormous business opportunity, largely for the corporate community in Sri Lanka. It has the potential to enhance business relationships and aid in facilitating trade and commercial development in South Asia”.  

Under the new offer, all Airtel postpaid and prepaid outbound customers can retain their local numbers when roaming on Airtel India and enjoy incoming call rates at Rs 2 and outgoing call rates to Sri Lanka at Rs 25. In addition, local calls within India can be made at Rs 4, which is at a 96% discount to market. GPRS roaming, which hitherto, could only be accessed at Rs 1000 per 1 MB on other networks, is now available at Rs 65 per 1 MB on Airtel. Further, in Sri Lanka, customers who subscribe to the service can dial IDD to any number in India at only Rs 2 per minute.

This establishes Airtel as the only service provider to deliver the most affordable Voice and GPRS Roaming and IDD rates ever experienced in Sri Lanka.

Intent on delivering tailor-made solutions by maximizing cross border efficiencies, Bharti Airtel has pioneered a new era of accessibility of international services. The initiative enhances business interests between the 2 countries, significantly contributing towards the development of the national economy while facilitating inter regional cooperation.