Organization

Corporate Information

The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) was established under the Sri Lanka Telecommunication (Amendment) Act No. 27 of 1996. As the national regulatory agency for telecommunications in Sri Lanka we will promote sustained development in the telecommunication industry by shaping the regulatory process, protecting public interest and being responsive to challenges in an increasingly competitive market. TRCSL will ensure that competition in the market is open, fair and effective.

Objectives of TRCSL;

• To ensure the provision of a reliable and efficient, national and international telecommunication services in Sri Lanka.
• To protect and promote the interests of consumers, purchasers and other users and the public interest with respect to charges for and the quality and variety of telecommunication services provided and apparatus supplied.
• To maintain and promote effective competition between persons engaged in commercial activities.
• To promote rapid and sustained development of domestic and international telecommunication facilities.
• To promote research in to and development and use of new techniques in telecommunications and related fields.
• (more fully described in Section 4 of the Act).

Responsibilities of TRCSL

• Enforcement of the provisions in the Act and conditions in the licences by the licensed operators.
• Foster fair and sustainable competition among the licensed operators.
• Monitoring competition to ascertain whether operators are meeting public interests objectives.
• To ensure seamless interconnection between networks and services.
• Establishing a general framework of open entry, non-burdensome and transparent licensing
• Pricing
• Ensure that telecommunication services are reasonably priced, taking in to consideration affordability etc.
• Consumer Protection
• To have consumer safeguards in place, and to encourage citizen participation and open dialogue by conducting inquiries in to complaints made by consumers and members of the public.
• Social Regulation
• Universal Access/Services
• We will ensure provision of universal access/services to the rural communities, elderly and people who are differently able.
• Emergency preparedness
• To make telecommunication services available for people with disabilities.
• Regulation of bottleneck facilities and scarce resources
• Spectrum Management
• Numbering
• Rights of Way
• Space segment
• High quality telecommunication services.
• To ensure that telecommunication services are of a high quality which are just, reasonable and affordable and which will satisfy the needs of the consumers.
• Promote Good Governance.
• We ensure a transparent decision making process, encouraging public participation and giving timely decisions by following principles of natural justice.
• We ensure that our decisions are fair and impartial.
• We will help to build a civil society by making our society an "informed" society in this modern information age.
• In keeping with our vision, we will endeavour to be in the forefront of telecommunication regulation.

Functions & Responsibilities

• Regulatory Functions of TRCSL

Processing applications for licenses.

• Licenses to operate telecommunication systems in Sri Lanka under Section 17 of the Act.
• Licenses for use of radio frequency and radio frequency emitting apparatus under section 22 of the Act.
• Licenses to operate a private network under Section 20(ii) of the Act.
• Vendor licenses under Section 21 of the Act.
• Licenses for cabling works under Section 22A (1) of the Act.

    Tariff regulations.

• Determine tariffs in consultation with the Minister as specified under Section 5(k) of the Act.
• Formulate pricing policies.

Monitoring and ensuring compliance with the Act (including rules and regulations made there under) and licenses by the licensed operators.
To monitor and ensure proper utilization of the radio frequency spectrum.
Responding to consumer complaints and holding inquiries/investigations.
Providing information to the public on quality and variety of telecommunication services and encourage their participation by conducting public processes and public hearings.

Issuance of Orders, Directions and Decisions by the Commission

The TRCSL follows a transparent procedure to issue orders, directions or decisions. Greater opportunity is offered to the industry participants, consumers and other interested parties to participate at public hearings and other forums. Before issuing orders, decisions or directives the Commission will take in to consideration the views expressed by all persons. The Commission will make its decisions and issue orders and directives in a timely manner giving reasons therefore.

Sectional Functions of TRCSL

Directorate General of Telecommunications

The DGT is the only full time Commissioner and it is also the Chief Executive of the Commission.

Technical Division

Frequency Management Sub-Division

Manages the country’s entire frequency spectrum (including planning, allocation, assignment, monitoring, control, interference studies, investigations, mitigation, and enforcement) and conducts all work related to ITU’s Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R and WRC).

Conducts examinations for radio operators.

Network Sub-Division

    Plans and administers the national numbering plan;
    Implements and administers all technical plans (numbering, signaling, routing, synchronization, etc.) for telecommunications operators and data services providers;
    Administers technical standards for the telecommunications sector in Sri Lanka and conducts all work related to ITU’s Standardization Sector (ITU-T and WTSA);
    Performs type approval of terminal and network equipment for attachment to the network and recommendations for customs clearance purposes;
    Plans and administers signalling point codes for operators;
    Process applications for issue of vendor licenses.

Economic Affairs Division
Competition Sub-Division

    Conducts tariff analyses including cost studies to establish cost-based tariffs and regulation.
    Monitors trends through the analysis of financial and operational performance of licensed operators.
    Performs economic analysis of sector.
    Analysis commercial terms of interconnection and inter-operator interconnection arrangements.
    Ensures timely license and cess fee collection.
    Recommends policies and programmes of rural development to the Commission.
    Devises economic incentives to expedite rural roll-out.
    Collects and analyses statistical information.
    Monitors sectoral performance through sectoral analyses.
    Prepares new licenses for all new operators with technical inputs; modifies existing licenses, as and when required.

Compliance Sub-Division

    Monitors compliance of statutes and licenses.
    Monitors and enforces TRC’s orders to operators if necessary through public hearings, billing orders, section orders, and interconnection determinations.
    Monitors quality of service and devises economic incentives to encourage.
    Manages consumer relations and protection.
    Performs surveillance of quality of service (non-technical) obligations.
    Handles the World Bank’s line of credit.

Legal Affairs Division

    Enforces license conditions according to Section 11 of the Act.
    Drafts rules (eg. vendor license rules).
    Conducts public hearings related to resolution of disputes (eg. on billing and billing-related disputes).
    Provides legal opinions to the Commission on any matter or document requiring such opinions (eg. contracts, draft licenses, etc.).
    Represents the Commission in cases brought before the courts.
    Drafts official letters and other correspondence for the Commission.
    Prepares Commission papers having legal implications.
    Drafts TRC rules, regulations, orders, and decisions.
    Drafts and negotiates contracts and agreements.
    Interprets statutes.
    Implements Section 18A, measures related to resellers and telecommunication services providers.
    Enforces licenses conditions and provisions in the Act.
    Deals with legal aspects of consumer complaints.

Administration and Corporate Affairs

Human Resources Unit

    Maintains personal files for all staff including confirmation, promotions, leave records, attendance and disciplinary inquires.
    Recruits new staff.
    Prepares personnel plan for the Commission, along with job descriptions for each position, in consultation with respective senior managers.
    Prepares human resources development budget with senior functional heads.
    Prepares annual staff training programme.
    Co‑ordinates training activities for both local and foreign personnel and makes necessary travel, registration and other arrangements for trainees.
    Provides staff welfare services, handles grievances and counseling to provide financial and non-financial incentive packages.
    Administers the medical insurance scheme for employees.
    Ensures that occupational health and safety requirements are met.

Administration Unit

    Co-ordinate General administration of the Commission including contractual services, procurements, maintenance works, vehicle fleets management & welfare related activities.

Corporate Affairs Unit

   Coordinate activities relating to preparing the corporate plan, action plan, progress report, and annual report.
   Coordinate with and handling matters related to the Office of HE the President, Presidential Secretariat, Cabinet Secretariat, the Treasury, Ministries, Departments other Regulatory Bodies and Statutory Authorities in relation to the general functions of the TRCSL.
   Handling matters related to Committee on Public Enterprises and other parliamentary committees.
   Handling matters related to the Corporate Social Responsibility

Finance
Finance (Sub-division)

    Prepares annual operating, capital and revenue budgets.
    Bills and collects various license and cess and spectrum-usage fees.
    Updates revenue records, collects revenue, monitors financial control, maintains the Commission's revenue master file.
    Monitors funds utilisation, prepares salaries, wages, overtime and other pay, and updates payment records.
    Maintains final asset projects.
    Prepares financial statements.
    Monitors and control actual budget.
    Prepares and submits relevant reports to government auditors.
    Prepares and makes available information required by Commission members, Ministry officials and others from time to time.

Policy and International Relations
Policy Unit

    Participates in various internal advisory committees (on spectrum policy, emergency telecommunications, numbering, etc.).
    Studies and develops policy on various ad-hoc sector specific matters such as the Y2K problem, the emergency 9-1-1 system, and others.
    Does technical evaluation of policy matters.
    Participates on behalf of the Commission in various external bodies (eg. CINTEC’s Internet Sub Committee, Center for National Planning).

International Relations Unit

    Co-ordinates the Commission’s participation in various international organizations [eg. ITU, Asia Pacific Telecommunity (APT), South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC)].
    Circulates information received from international organizations within Commission.
    Co-ordinates gathering of information within Commission and in country as required by international organizations of which Sri Lanka is a member.

License Administration
License Administration (Sub-division)

    Drafts and amends licenses.
    Enforces license conditions.
    Authorizes equipment according to license conditions.
    Prepares guidelines for radio frequency radiation.
    Deals with consumer protection issues as related to license conditions.

Information and Documentation Unit

    Maintains a documentation centre and library for public and internal staff containing: all Commission documents required by the staff; documents for public as required by the WTO agreement; documents relevant to the telecommunications sector.
    Executes the Information Systems Plan.
    Maintains and documents the existing application systems.
    Develops new IT applications for the Commission.
    Provides technical IT support to Commission staff.
    Provides training of IT user base to Commission staff.
    Handles all Internet activities of the Commission including list & bulletin board services.
    Maintains the Commission’s web site under guidance of the web site committee.
    Designs and implements internal information networks.
    Collects and disseminates information through exhibitions.

Note: Subject to change with Commission directions