How the Sri Lanka Internet Works
A quick overview
Asela Galappattige
Sri Lanka Chapter

How the Sri Lanka Internet Works
Sri Lanka’s Internet is no different to the Internet anywhere in the world.
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Following is a brief discussion of the characteristics of Sri Lankan Internet infrastructure.

How the Sri Lanka Internet Works
SL internet is 20 years old
Started in 1995 with Dialup Access
Among the lowest costs broadband markets in the world
Current penetration ~22% *
Growth Rate 22% (CAGR 3yrs)*
Asia Average 34.8%
World Average 42.3%
* source: www.internetsociety.org/internet/
Internet & Email - TRC SL data

How the Sri Lanka Internet Works

How the Sri Lanka Internet Works
Access
Access Media: Technology:
Wired Copper (Telephone) cables
- Dialup, TDM, ADSL/ADSL2+/VDSL/SHDSL
Fiber - Ethernet, FTTH (PON)
Wireless CDMA
GPRS, EDGE
WiMax
3G – HSDPA/HSPA/HSPA+
4G – LTE
WiFi
Point-to-Point (business lines)
VSAT

How the Sri Lanka Internet Works
Access
Access Service Providers
Sri Lanka Telecom - Copper, CDMA, WiMax, Fiber, 4G LTE, WiFi
Dialog - GPRS, EDGE, CDMA, 3G, WiMax, 4G LTE, Fiber, WiFi
Mobitel
Etisalat
- GPRS, EDGE, 3G, 4G LTE, WiFi
- GPRS, EDGE, 3G, 4G LTE
Airtel
Hutch
Lanka Bell
- GPRS, EDGE, 3G, 4G LTE
- GPRS, EDGE, 3G
- CDMA, WiMax, 4G LTE
LankaCom - Business Lines, Wireless, Leased

How the Sri Lanka Internet Works
Transport - National Connectivity
 Major Telcos have Fiber Optic & Microwave infrastructure spread over the whole island.
 Some Service Providers lease there capacity to others
 National Backbone Network (NBN) with OTN 100G DWDM technology is operated by SLT for the use of all Service
Providers.

How the Sri Lanka Internet Works
Transport - International Connectivity
Currently, the primary and almost only International connectivity is via Optical Submarine cable systems.
Cable System
Submarine Cable Systems Connecting Sri Lanka
Reach
SEA-ME-WE-3 SEA-ME-WE
SEA-ME-WE-4 SEA-ME-WE
FLAG Japan-India-SL-UK-USA
SEA-ME-WE-5 SEA-ME-WE
BBG Singapore-Oman/UAE
~Total length
39,000 km
20,000 km
Landing
Station
SLT
SLT
28,000 km LankaBell
20,000 km
8,000 km
SLT
Dialog
Year of
Commission
2000
2005
1997+
2016
2016
Bharath-Lanka Tuticorin-Colombo
Dhiraagu-SLT Male-Colombo
320 km
850 km
SLT
SLT
2006
2007

How the Sri Lanka Internet Works
International Cable Systems:

How the Sri Lanka Internet Works
International Cable Systems:

How the Sri Lanka Internet Works
International Cable Systems:
Yr 2016
20,000 km
24 Tbps

How the Sri Lanka Internet Works
International Cable Systems:
Yr 1997+
28000 km

How the Sri Lanka Internet Works
International Cable Systems:
Yr 2016
8000 km

How the Sri Lanka Internet Works
Regional Cable Systems:
Bharath-Lanka (SLT)
Dhiraagu-SLT

How the Sri Lanka Internet Works
Transport - International Connectivity
Cable Redundancy:
East-West and India Connectivity via Submarine Cables are used to improve Network Resiliency

How the Sri Lanka Internet Works
Interconnect
Internet Peering:
1. Peering with Global Carrier ISPs & Content a) All major ISPs connect with GLOBAL ISPs and also REGIONAL ISPs via submarine cable circuits i.
Peering via dedicated links ii. Peering at Global IXs b) Peer with Content Networks & Content Distribution Networks
(CDNs) i.
Locally hosted at ISPs ii. Hosted at Global IXs Ex: Google, Akamai, Limelight…
2. IP Transit from Local Carrier ISPs
Purchase IP Transit service from Local Large ISPs

How the Sri Lanka Internet Works
Interconnect
Local Internet traffic exchange
Private Peering
IX Peering
- Private peering links between ISPs
Some ISPs have private links between them
- Two exchange points
- No settlement fees

How the Sri Lanka Internet Works
Control
NAT
DNS
- Most Consumer IPv4 traffic is NATed at ISPs
- All Infrastructure ISPs provide DNS Resolvers &
DNS Caches for their customers
DNS-Root Servers - Only i-Root server is available* in SL

SNAPSHOT
CONTENT
How the Sri Lanka Internet Works
APPS COMPUTE
GLOBAL INTERNET
IP Carriers
$$
$$
ISP
ACCESS
Rs
ISP
ACCESS
WEB
Fiber Optic
Submarine
Cabels
M M
SRI LANKA
INTERNET
BOUNDARY
Customer (Operator-A) Customer (Operator-B)

How the Sri Lanka Internet Works
Policy & Regulation
 Internet Registry (IR)
- APNIC is the Regional IR (RIR)
- No National Internet Registry (NIR)
- ISPs act as Local IR (LIR) for own prefixes
 ISPs are Licensed by GOSL through TRCSL
 Internet Service is regulated by Telecommunication
Regulatory Commission of SL (TRCSL)
 Price Regulation
 Quality of Service
 National Broadband Policy
 Increase Penetration
 Develop Infrastructure

How the Sri Lanka Internet Works
Policy & Regulation
ISPs:
All access service providers have ISP
Licenses
In addition, there are specialized ISPs serving specific business demands.
There are two types of ISP Licenses.
 Facility Based (FB)
 Non Facility Based (NFB)
The Operators shall not be entitled to establish its own transmission facility, but will be entitled to use a transmission facility of other licensed operators to connect subscribers and sites.
1 SLT
2 LankaCom
3 LankaBell
4 Sky Network (SLT)
5 Dialog Broadband
6 Dialog Telekom
7 Mobitel (SLT)
8 Etisalat
9 Hutch
10 Airtel
11 TATA Com
12 Dynanet
13 Wavecom
14 Ceycom
15 Eureka
16 LEARN

How the Sri Lanka Internet Works
 The country total download traffic (peak) is roughly
50 – 60 Gbps *
 Almost 95% Internet traffic is Non-Local
 Some popular Content Caches are locally hosted @ ISPs
 The two Internet Exchanges and Local Direct Peering serve inter ISP traffic
* Estimated figure

How the Sri Lanka Internet Works
FUTURE
Growth:
We expect the Internet Penetration to grow rapidly with the penetration of Faster access via Fiber, LTE stimulates usage
SMART Home/Office/Community initiatives are seen emerging in the market
Internet of Things (IOT) will drive always on connectivity
Convenient & Cheaper Cloud services will need Ubiquitous Internet access
IPv6:
Most of the ISPs have enabled IPv6 in their networks, with limited scope.
Business Internet lines can get IPv6 from the major service providers*.
Enabling IPv6 on Retail/Consumer services is on the boards for the very near future*.
* with exceptions

How the Sri Lanka Internet Works
FINAL REMARKS

How the Sri Lanka Internet Works