Sri Lanka to deliver high-speed broadband to all by 2029

Sri Lanka plans to provide High-Speed Broadband connectivity to every person in the country by 2029, with 100 new telecommunication towers to be installed this year as part of a nationwide expansion.

Officials from the Ministry of Digital Economy shared these plans during a meeting of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Science, Technology and Digital Transformation held at the Parliament of Sri Lanka on February 06, 2026.

The meeting was chaired by Member of Parliament Dr. Janaka Senarathne and focused on the action plan related to the allocation of 2026 budget provisions for the Ministry of Digital Economy and the Ministry of Science and Technology.

During the meeting, Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya, Senior Advisor to the President, made a detailed presentation on the programme to provide High-Speed Broadband access to every citizen. He stated that steps are already being taken this year to install 100 new telecommunication towers. He further explained that between 600 and 1,000 towers will be required to fully meet the country’s needs, and that the project will be carried out in stages.

Dr. Wijayasuriya pointed out that although about 98 percent of the country currently has internet coverage, it does not meet the standards required for High-Speed Broadband. He said that the existing capacity must be increased by around 25 percent in order to ensure that every child in the country can access High-Speed Broadband facilities.

He also noted that a commercial model will be prepared for the development of telecommunication towers. Under this model, opportunities will be given to the private sector to submit bids for the construction and operation of the towers.

The Committee also paid attention to improving digital literacy, especially in areas outside Colombo. It was proposed that programmes be organised through District Secretariat offices to raise digital skills among the public.

In addition, discussions were held on the 2026 budget allocations for the Ministry of Science and Technology. Several annual reports and performance reports of related institutions were reviewed and approved.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe and Members of Parliament Chandima Hettiarachchi, Lasith Bhashana Gamage, Chathura Galappaththi, Aboobucker Athambawa and Ruwan Wijeweera.