Mobitel Sponsors International Dance Sport Championships 2007

May 9th 2007

Sri Lanka Telecom Mobitel officially signed on as the title sponsor of this year's International Dance Sport Championships which will now be renamed the Mobitel International Dance Sport Championships 2007. This much anticipated, highly regarded event in Sri Lanka's vital Dance Sport calendar is set to take place on June 10, 2007, at the Hilton Colombo. Expected to showcase some of the most talented dancers in Sri Lanka tearing up the dance floor with their counterparts from around the world, this event features a series of high spirited, pulsating competitions in several different categories as well as demonstrations by international professionals.

Dance is now being recognized worldwide as a high profile, extremely competitive sport, and is also one of the fastest growing hobbies in the country. Many competitions are held worldwide, and one of the most coveted of these competitions in Asia- the International Dance Sport Championships, will be held in the country for the third successive time in as many years. The championships will showcase a number of dance styles, and celebrates and rewards prowess in this highly entertaining sport.

In addition to the sponsorship of an international event which will help the country's international image, Sri Lanka Telecom Mobitel is also continuing to promote culture and sports in Sri Lanka. On a more personal level for the management of Mobitel, these championships are proving to be an exciting prospect for Mobitel staff so much so that the company has launched an internal dance competition open to all employees. Moreover, as a part of its commitment to caring for staff and enriching their working lives, this initiative by the company has garnered an excellent response from staff followed by an impressive participation in a series of Latin and ballroom dance classes arranged as a run up to Mobitel's internal dance competition to be held in the first week of June, prior to the official Mobitel International Dance Sport Championships 2007.

Commenting at the media launch, Sri Lanka Telecom Mobitel's Chief Executive Officer, Mr Suren J. Amarasekera, said "Latin and ballroom dancing is a sport showcasing class, elegance and dexterity, which are in fact qualities synonymous with Double M- Mobitel's premium suite of post-paid packages".

About the many initiatives organized by the company, Mr P. Asoka Weerasinghe De Silva, Chairman of Sri Lanka Telecom Mobitel, said that this event will be a great way to further the sport of dance in Sri Lanka. He further added that, "Sri Lanka has many skilled and highly adept dancers, who are able to compete on a global level. We here at Mobitel believe that this event is a prestigious international platform, on which our dancers can showcase their talents and also further the growing passion for this sport in the country."

Sri Lanka Telecom Mobitel- The National Mobile Service Provider - is wholly owned by Sri Lanka Telecom. In January 2004, the company launched its full-fledged GSM network that is EDGE/GPRS enabled and designed to operate on dual bands. Investments committed to date in its 3G and GSM service offering total over US$200 million and are set to increase its present coverage of over 600 base stations to 1500 base stations by the end of this year.