Laos, a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, has a distinct geography with rugged mountainous terrains, making the development of infrastructure, particularly telecommunications and technology, a challenging task. The population of about 7.5 million is unevenly distributed, with a significant rural populace residing in remote areas lacking basic amenities, including electricity and internet access. The capital, Vientiane, and other urban centres like Luang Prabang and Pakse, however, are seeing a rapid expansion of technology and telecom sectors. Laos has shown innovation in utilising hydroelectric power, capitalising on its vast network of rivers, to meet its power needs, with the sector in a mature state. The telecommunications sector, while still developing, has seen growth with initiatives like the Laos-China Railway project, which plans to lay fibre optic cables along the railway line, addressing the country's connectivity issues. However, technology infrastructure outside the urban areas remains sparse and underdeveloped.
Mobile Network Operators
The are 4 companies operating mobile networks in this region.
ETL (Enterprise of Telecommunications Lao) is a mobile network operating in Lao PDR. Established as Telecom Lao in 2000 as a wholly state-owned enterprise, the company was partially privatised in 2011 becoming ETL Public Company with a 49% stake remaining held by the Government of Lao PDR. In August 2017 the oustanding 51% stake was acquired by Chinese-owned Comba Telecom and the company subsequently renamed from ETL Public Company to Enterprise of Telecommunications Lao (ETL) Co., Ltd.
Lao Telecommunication Public Company (Lao Telecom) is the leading telecommunications services provider in the Lao PDR. The company’s 2G, 3G, 4G and 4.5G network services cover all provinces in the country, while the recently launched 5G service covers areas in Vientiane Capital. Lao Telecom is a joint venture between the Lao Government (51%) and Shenington Investments (49%). Established in 1996, the Company has an existing concession agreement to offer comprehensive services until 2046.
TPLUS (formerly Beeline, formerly Tigo) is a mobile network operating in Lao PDR. The network has been in operation since April 2003, initially formed as a joint venture between Government of Lao P.D.R. (22%) and Millicom Lao Co Ltd (78%). In March 2011 Vimpelcom announced the acquisition of Millicom Lao, resulting in a 78-22 partnership between Vimpelcom and the Lao government. In October 2017 VimpelCom Holding Laos B.V. agreed to sell its 78% stake in the company to the Lao government, resulting in VimpelCom Lao Company Ltd. becoming a wholly state-owned enterprise. The company was rebranded...
Unitel is the largest mobile network by subscribers and coverage operating in Lao PDR. The network has been in operation since 2002, formed as a joint venture between state-owned Lao Asia Telecommunication State Enterprise (51%) and Vietnam-based Viettel Group (49%). Viettel is a leading telecommunications group in Vietnam which has invested successfully in 9 countries across 3 continents.