MTN Networks (Pvt) Ltd (1993–2005) Dialog was incorporated in 1993 as MTN Networks (Private) Limited with 90% of equity through
Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) and 10% by Capital Maharaja being the local promoters to the investment. Telekom Malaysia (TM) is the Majority owned by the Government of Malaysia, and is the incumbent and dominant fixed-line telecom operator in Malaysia. At the time of setup, MTN was the 4th entry to the Sri Lankan Mobile market which already had 3 established operators. In 1995 just after 2 years of incorporation, MTN Networks began its commercial operations under the brand name Dialog GSM by rolling out the first digital network in South Asia using
GSM technology hence offering a superior service compared to analog networks at the time. In 1996, the local promoters divested their stake providing complete ownership of MTN Networks to Telekom Malaysia. In mid-1997
Hans Wijayasuriya was appointed as the CEO of MTN Networks, at the age of 29 becoming the youngest CEO in a multimillion-dollar investment. Marking another regional first Dialog GSM was the first operator in Asia Pacific to deliver
international roaming in 1997. MTN Networks was able to record its first operational profit for the financial year of 1998 when Dialog GSM had a subscriber base close to 75,000. Beginning of the new millennium brought fortunes for Dialog as in the year 2000 it was able to attain the market leader position in the mobile market surpassing the incumbent operators. The year 2001 saw the launch of Dialog Internet, thus starting
Internet service provider operations by launching
GPRS and
MMS services based on existing 2G infrastructure and becoming the first GPRS and MMS operator in South Asia.
Dialog Telekom PLC (2005–2010) In March 2005 MTN Networks Pvt Ltd unveiled its new corporate identity as Dialog Telekom Ltd at a shindig witnessed by
Mahathir Mohamad, Former Prime Minister of Malaysia, celebrating the Company's ten years of telecommunications infrastructure development in Sri Lanka. In 2005, Dialog Telekom launched the largest
IPO seen by the Sri Lankan capital markets in an attempt to finance expanding the network. The Dialog Telekom initial offer, which was launched on a book building structure at a price range of LKR 8 to LKR 12 per share, consists of 712.3 million ordinary shares, which is a 9.6% stake of the company. Offer was oversubscribed 3 times within an hour of opening and Dialog Telekom was able to raise LKR 8.55 Billion (US$77 million) in fresh capital making this the largest IPO to date in the country. Dialog Telekom made history on the first trading day when trading commenced at a price of LKR 14.25 making Dialog Telekom the first Sri Lankan Company to reach the US$1 billion market capitalization mark. In 2005 December, Dialog Telekom Acquired 100% stake of MTT Network Pvt Ltd for LKR 1.86 Billion (US$19.2 million). At the time of Acquisition MTT was the leading digital transmission and backbone provider for other Cellular operators and television stations. Other than that MTT also operated
CDMA telephony services and external gateway operations. Pursuant to the Acquisition MTT was renamed Dialog Broadband Networks Pvt Ltd (DBN) which as a fully owned subsidiary of Dialog Telekom and continued providing service to MTT clientele and also expanded on CDMA operations. In December 2006, Dialog Telekom completed the takeover of troubled
DTH satellite television provider CBN SAT (Private) Ltd for LKR 523.8 million (US$4.6 million) marking Dialog's entry into the television segment thus positioning itself as a
quadruple play service provider. CBNsat was re-branded as DialogTV and operates as a fully owned subsidiary of Dialog Telekom.
Dialog Axiata PLC In 2018, Dialog launched the anonymous messaging platform Yeheli.lk. Driven by technology from Bangladeshi company
Mayalogy, it connects users with experts, especially on the subject of women’s health and well-being.
Chief Executives The following is a chronological list of people who have served as chief executive officer of Dialog Axiata PLC in its history • Mr. Mohammed Said Mohammed Ali (1993–1996) • Datuk Zaini Diman (1996–1997) • Dr.
Hans Wijayasuriya (1997–2016) • Mr. Supun Weerasinghe (2017 – present) == Mobile ==