3G Service Launched in Laos

The Lao Telecommunication Company (TLC) has launched a 3G phone service, although mobile data speed is limited to just 114Kbps. The Lao newspaper the Vientiane Times reported that the service is being marketed to businessmen and young people.

TLC expects to supply 20,000 3G SIM cards just to visitors coming to Laos for the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) events scheduled to be held in the country later this year, said the newspaper.

Currently, it provides telephone coverage to over 80 percent of the Laos population.

According to figures from the Mobile World, the operator ended Q1 '09 with just over 945,000 subscribers, which represents a market share of 42%. The country has four operators and a population penetration level of 33%.

On the web: The Mobile World - Vientiane Times

Posted to the site on 31st July 2009