Laos digital communications: 2G 3G 4G providers for voice, data, lao internet, isp, fax, phone, prepaid mobile, ussd, sms, satellite, broadband, wire and optic cable, adsl, gprs, edge, umts, data rates, hspa+, hsdpa, wifi, air cards, tablets, wimax, wireless web connections from LaoTel ETL Tigo Beeline Unitel.

Overseas Calls to and from Laos by land line or mobile cell network

Remember there is probably a time zone difference from yours; Laos is GMT+7 hours. Without daylight saving, from the US West Coast, Laos is 15 hours ahead and 12 hours ahead of EST. So 3 p.m. in New York is 3 a.m. the next day in the Lao PDR (and much of SE Asia) when most Lao residents are sound asleep!

The IDD code for calling the Lao PDR is 856. To dial or send an SMS text message from a mobile, start with +856 then the Lao number without a leading zero. From a home phone you need to know your country's international dialout or exit code first. In the USA it's 011. For the UK and many other countries including Laos it is 00. From the USA to Laos dial 011 856 then the 2 digit area code, e.g. 21 for Vientiane, 71 for Luang Prabang, followed by a 6 digit number which identifies a land line in Laos. See below for full list of Lao provincial exchange codes.

Examples: From a UK phone to a Vientiane land line (home phone) dial 00 856 21 123 456. For any Lao mobile dial 00 (or + from another mobile) 856 20 1234 5678.

LAO PROVINCIAL AREA PHONE CODES: 021-Vientiane; 031-Champassack-Saravan-Attapeu-Pakse; 038-Sekong; 041-Savannakhet; 051-Khammouane-Thakhek-Hinboun; 054-Borikhamsay-Paksan; 061-Xiengkhouang-Phonsavan; 064-Houaphan; 071-Luangprabang; 074-Xayaboury; 081-Oudomxay; 084-Bokeo; 086-Luangnamtha; 088-Phongsaly. Remember to remove the zero when calling or sending an SMS (text message) from outside Laos.

CALLING WITHIN LAOS. When dialing another Lao phone number, use the 3-digit code above unless you are calling between landlines with the same area code or when calling another cellphone/mobile from your mobile. Adding the area code when not required has no effect.

DIALLING OUT FROM LAOS. To make international calls from Laos, 00 is the international code followed by the country code (e.g. 1 for the United States, 44 for the UK etc followed by the area code (ignoring the 0) and number – as is used in many countries when making local calls.

A mobile cell phone or 3G modem for use within and outside North America needs to be capable of using the 4 common worldwide frequency bands and not locked or tied to a particular service provider contract). Learn more about quad band unlocked mobiles and unlocked USB 3G modems that can be used in any country with a local ISP phone or data SIM.

PHONING ANYWHERE FROM LAOS (find exit and dial-in codes for any country)

Lao mobile (cellphone/cellular) operators should charge 2,000 kip/min (US$0.25) for all international calls. Lao Telecom/WinPhone uses the standard code: 00 plus country, area code and number. Two operators offer international codes (rates unknown) from mobiles: Tigo (now Beeline) key 177 followed by country code and number, ETL 188. Unitel does not offer a special code. Check your balance before and after making an overseas call before repeating.

Outside main cities and in remoter regions of Laos, operators have different areas of coverage for basic, GPRS or 3G service. It's wise to carry several SIMs (effectively free to buy) especially for the northern provinces. Buy refill cards for Lao mobiles in phone or roadside shops throughout the country; they usually display signs or banners for M-Phone, ETL, Tigo (now Beeline) and Unitel. Validity usually equates to one day per 1,000 kip e.g. 10,000 kip refill extends expiry date by 10 days. Various plans for voice and data are available.

Regional Calls
Exit code plus 7 or 8 are alternative dial out codes that can be used to make calls between Thailand, Laos, Malaysia and Indonesia for less than the normal international rate, but it may be more expensive than the 2000 kip/min general international rate from Lao mobiles.

Phones & Internet in the Lao PDR – dial-up, broadband, satellite, optic fiber, ADSL, 4G WiMax, 3G UMTS, HSPA, HSPA+, HSDPA, 2G GPRS, EDGE, voice and data communications, air cards, data cost and plans, ussd, sms

Main operators are Lao Telecom, ETL, Tigo (now Beeline) and Unitel who supply various phone and internet services (mostly prepaid) including leased line, ADSL, CDMA, WiFi, WiMax and GPRS/EDGE/3G, 3.5G, HSPA or HSDPA for GSM and 4G WiMax networks.

All four mobile telecom operators are partly or fully owned by the Lao government; call and data rates are similar and within agreed criteria to allow equitable revenue share between them.

While Laos ISP 3G data cost per MB is similar for 1 GB and 3GB monthly data usage, various plans (daily, weekly, monthly, unlimited) accommodate short and longer term internet access by mobile phone, tablet or USB dongle. Compare Lao data plans and prices per MB. There may be reduced prices or promotions such as free SIM and/or free airtime or data or a free microSD card included when buying an air card or SIM from one of the 4 Lao mobile operators.

Results from a recent Lao ISP speed comparison test (Retire Asia blog post Jan '12)

Visit our page that lists common terminology, definitions and mobile internet acronyms.

Planet Online Laos has a 4G Mobile WiMax (2.5 GHz) service in and around Vientiane, with Luang Prabang, Savannakhet, Pakxe and Thakhek coming in 2012. 5-8 Mbps. See data plans.

Lao Telecom 4G WiMax is due sometime in 2012. See below for data plans. Access may already be available in certain locations. Speed unknown. Call 131 from a LaoTel phone, but don't expect much useful information. The same goes for LaoTel's website. See data plans.

Tigo Beeline also offers WiMax in areas of the capital. According to reports it is slow, expensive and unpopular. In 2012, Beeline introduced 3.75G HSPA+. With a high speed modem, performance is much better than LTC, ETL or Unitel, partly due to the still low number of users. See data plans.

For GSM 900/2100 MHz mobile phone communications, some areas of Laos only have coverage from a single provider. Travellers are advised to carry SIMs for more than one provider. ETL may be best, followed by LTC. GPRS data transfer cost is 1000 kips ($0.12) per megabyte. 3G cost varies depending on whether phone or data SIMs are used. All providers offer various cost-saving promotions and plans. Here are Unitel's 'Sabaidee' plans.

SIMs and refill cards (LaoTel M-Phone, Ah Lo 3G Win Phone; ETL P-Phone; Tigo Beeline; Unitel StarPhone) can be purchased everywhere in Laos anonymously (this may change in November 2011), and used in an unlocked mobile. Thai SIM carriers will be within signal range of Thai mobile network cells where the Mekong River forms the border with Thailand. Areas of Vientiane city centre are opposite Nongkhai provincial town of Sri Chiangmai. Conversely, Lao mobiles also work in much of Nong Khai itself as well as other Mekong River border towns.

For mobile internet access, Beeline, LTC, ETL and Unitel all offer UMTS HSDPA 3G-3.75G services in Vientiane and Lao provincial cities, with 2G EDGE and GPRS as a fallback in less-populated areas. Unitel downloads up to 5 MBps – faster than LaoTel and ETL. Currently, Beeline has the fastest 3G in Laos. See all Laos ISP data plans and rates.

For travel around Laos, there are still areas where one or two ISPs are better than others; it's as well to carry phone and/or data SIMs from more than one operator. More on Laotel, Unitel, ETL below. Planet 4G WiMax is currently available in Vientiane and suburbs only, with speeds up to 10 MBps, (3-6 typical) with prices from 200,000 kips per month. See data plans.

Lao mobile phone SIMs from major operators are virtually free as most or all of the cost is given as airtime. Local voice calls (including 3G video calls within Laos) are about 800 kips ($0.10) a minute, although cheaper packages are available. All international calls from Laos cost 2000 kips ($0.25)  or less per minute. Other services include text messaging (SMS), MMS and internet. GPRS data 1000 kip per MB. 3G data cost is higher for phones than for air cards with data SIMs.

VoIP services such as Skype (iPhone/Android apps available) are not blocked in Laos; data charges apply unless you have an unlimited data package, free WiFi or use low-cost internet shops.

To check kip balance on a Lao mobile call 122 or send (USSD) *122#. To identify a mobile phone SIM number, send *110# from the phone to display its MSISDN number – useful for giving friends outside Laos your full international code to dial or send. Add the + sign before the number to dial/SMS from overseas. See common mobile network definitions and acronyms.

USB MODEMS, AIRCARDS, SOFTWARE, DRIVERS

To check account credit or data balance on a USB 3G modem, look for USSD on the menu interface (dashboard). This is also one way to refill a 3G account. SMS is the other.

USB MODEM DASHBOARD & DRIVERS: After installation of a proprietary air card, copy its embedded software to another location; in case of un-installation or subsequent failure of the device's built-in NAND flash memory drive which can occur after unlocking, most users won't be able to reinstall or use the modem on the same or different computers.

Download Lao ISP USB 3G and GPRS software (ZTE MF 180/190/190S) for ETL, LTC (Lao Telecom includes Windows, Linux and Mac versions) or Unitel as zip files from our server. Tigo Beeline uses locked ZTE MF 656A (14.4 Mbps) and MF 668A (21 Mbps) USB modems. Lao MF 668A software for PC and Mac. Generic software and drivers for ZTE and Huawei USB 3G modems are free downloads for Windows or Mac OS X. Modem unlock codes are available too, some free.

If a USB connection fails unexpectedly, check in Settings/Preference for Automatic mode. If the 3G UMTS/HSPA signal is too weak or not available, it allows fallback to 2G GPRS/EDGE.

Android tablet computers will not work with many USB 3G modems. Android drivers are not available for other modems. More Huawei models are compatible than other brands, especially with Chinese iPads. Check the user manual for modems that can be used with the tablet.

Laos ISPs, Mobile Internet Service Providers

Mobile frequency bands in Laos (and most of Asia) are GSM/UMTS 900, 1800/2100 MHz. Other countries: Thailand 850, 900, 1900/2100 MHz; UK, Europe 900/2100 MHz; US, Canada 850,  1900/850, 1700, 1900 MHz; Australia 900,1800/850, 900, 2100. All countries.

Prices below are quoted in Lao Kips LAK. Exchange Rate (January 2012), LAK 8,000 = USD 1; LAK 254 = THB 1 (baht). The Lao Banking page has up-to-date rates for main convertible currencies.

Lao Telecom – LTC 3G Air Card, UMTS, GSM, GPRS, EDGE, WiFi, WiMax

LaoTel offers 3G access in most provinces' main towns. Use a USB modem or HSPA SIM slot or buy their current package, a pre-configured ZTE MF 190S (7.2 Mbps) HSPA USB Dongle Modem + 4 GB SD, data SIM, unlimited data for 30 days for 320,000 kip ($40). It's not a bad deal, but it is only for use with LaoTel – the MF-190S modem cannot be unlocked by software. Here are LaoTel's 2012 internet promotions.

Data SIMs are available separately for use with any unlocked modem, 30,000 kips and 40,000 for MicroSIM. Only LTC has these; both SIMs are required as refilling the data Micro Sim is done using a LaoTel mobile phone number.

Visit LaoTel's Vientiane (Namphou) office on Chanthakoummane Rd or provincial town offices to get full details and subscription cost (and if you already have one, test the USB modem you want to use) explained by someone who speaks reasonable English rather than buy an air card from one of their local shops. The Lao Telecom website has been under reconstruction for the past year. The home page has an English option but most menu options don't exist.

Laotel 3G data SIM kip refill can be carried out by mobile phone: *121*[3G SIM Number]*[Card PIN Number]# then call/send. For the 3G air card, use the program to 'refill money' with required amount of kips from Mphone cards e.g. 100,000 for 3GB data in/out for the next 30 days, then 'send query' (SMS) using one of the following code sequences.

LaoTel APN: ltcnet, dialup *99# auto IP/DNS. LaoTel 3G plans. Auto configuration and refill is via the software on the ZTE MF 190S USB modem sold by LTC. LaoTel USB software.

Lao Telecom also offers WiFi at hotspots in Vientiane and some other areas. Speed claims up to 5MBps. A 5-minute free demo (once per device) is available to check or locate wifi signal availability. LaoTel WiFi plans.

Lao Telecom WiMax is under trial is expected to be in service during 2012 via USB modem in Vientiane and other provincial locations; current coverage and performance is unknown; LTC WiMax plans.

Laotel's ADSL 2.0 service (Unitel ADSL is similar but with limited areas of coverage) has been further reduced in price for 2012, 512/256K for 130,000 kips per month. See LTC promotions.

ETL 3G NET Air Card – ZTE MF 180 (3.6 MB/s) Package

Currently the ZTE MF 180 USB modem (unlockable) costs 250,000 kips ($31/940 baht) with data SIM (no voice calls) and 1.5GB free data over 3 months. Download the ETL USB software supplied with the ETL modem. Up to 2MB/s download. ETL APN: etlnet – Dialup number *99***1#. Recharge with P-phone cards then send the code as an SMS to 333 (USSD query may not work) e.g. D7 (3GB valid for 30 days). Delay of a minute or two possible before reply/confirmation. Settings for ETL. See ETL 3G data plans. ETL NET SIMs can be used with any unlocked modem or phone, cost 30,000 kips. Don't buy one if you also want to use it in a phone for voice. A standard ETL phone SIM can be used for voice and 2G/3G data.

Unitel 3G Phone, Air Card – ZTE MF 190 (7.2 MB/s) package, GPRS, EDGE

Unitel is a joint venture between the Ministries of Defence of Vietnam via Viettel and the Lao PDR via Lao Asia Telecom/LAT /Star Telecom /StarPhone) with Unitel as the brand name. See data plans.

Unitel supplies a 3G/3.5G HSPA/HSDPA USB stick (unlockable – see Unlocking USB Modems below) ZTE MF190 modem and sold with their 3G data SIM (SIM alone is 30,000 kip) plus 1.5GB free over 3 months for 300,000 kips ($38). UMTS, HSPA+, HSPA, HSDPA, WCDMA, GPRS, EDGE GSM network SIMs for data and SMS. Unitel download speeds have decreased in the past few months and are sometimes as slow as LTC or ETL at 1-2 Mbps max, but 3-4 Mbps or more is still possible. Unitel/StarPhone refill cards are available from phone and small shops, while the USB data SIMs (need to be activated) are usually only sold at Unitel offices around the country. Data only SIMs are different from mobile SIMs which cost 350 kip per MB of data, in a phone or the modem. Download Unitel Lao USB drivers and program as supplied on the ZTE modem.

Unitel HQ in Vientiane is on Rue Nongbone, a km or so outside the city. Monday-Friday only. Some local offices may open on Saturdays. Customer service 109 or 021 901234 or 999888, but there is often congestion. Wait for someone to answer and ask if they speak English. Some do.

Understanding Unitel data plans. More complicated than LTC and ETL, a Unitel monthly USB plan (LT...) runs from the 1st to last day of the calendar month. (29, 30 or 31 – February has 29 days in 2012, a 'leap year'. It can be started on any day, but it will end at midnight on the last day of that month. Cost and data is proportional e.g. start on 15th, cost and data allowance will be 50% of the full rate. 50% credit balance stays in the account and can be used for a new plan or to renew the same one (50% top-up would be needed to pay for a new full month). Note that an MI phone data plan can begin on any day. Free data remaining at the end of a plan period is removed.

Note: At the end of the period, you need to (1) recharge; (2) send SMS LT0 (zero) to cancel the old plan; (3) send SMS LT[codes below] to start or renew the service.

If you have a problem, call Unitel customer service 109 or 021 999888; ask for someone who speaks English; some delay or difficulty getting the USB 3G service restored can be expected. In extreme cases, with written complaint lodged and persistence, you may get some free data.

If a plan expires and is not cancelled, future refill credit may be lost. At the beginning of a new period the account will show a debit balance until refilled with sufficient credit. The current plan will then continue. If for example it is a weekly plan and is not used in that week (perhaps the user left Laos temporarily), new credit will first be allocated to an expired period and effectively lost. This should not happen if you always send LT0 to cancel a plan when it has expired or the data has been used before the validity period ends.

With no USB 3G data LT plan set or if the free data has been used before the expiry date, as long as there is credit in the account, internet connection can be maintained at a flat rate of 90 kips/MB. Without an MI plan, the rate for mobile phone 3G data is 350 kips/MB. Unitel data plans.

3G air card credit refill can also be done using a Unitel SIM mobile phone: *121*[3G SIM Number]*[Card PIN Number]# then call/send.

Unitel 3G APN: unitel3g. Dialup *99#, settings auto. Data cost is much higher (350 kip/MB) for a Unitel activated 3G phone SIM than for the USB stick/dongle modem service with 3G data SIM (see prices above). USB drivers and ZTE software as supplied with the Unitel Lao modem.

Unitel 3G data cost for mobiles: Phone SIM cost 20,000 kips. 3G Activation: SMS [phone model] 3G to 209 for auto install, confirm activation and receive plan codes. No plan 350 kips/MB. Monthly 100MB/15,000 kip; 500MB/40,000; 2GB/150,000; daily 50MB/5,000.   

Unitel 2G GPRS/EDGE APN: startelecom. SMS 'GPRS [handset model]' to 113 for automatic setup; if not successful, call 108 or 109 for support. The Unitel Laos site also has local office addresses.

Beeline (Tigo) 3G Air Cards: ZTE 656A (14.4 Mbps), MF 668A (21 Mbps); downloads over 7 Mbps (less with with slower phone or modem)

Tigo/Beeline Lao has countrywide mobile phone and data services with 3G HSPA+ (from Jan 2012) and 2G. A Beeline 4G LTE network is under development. They offer two locked ZTE sticks, the MF 656A (up to 14.4 Mbps) for 300,000 kips ($37.50) and an (unlockable for £9.95) MF 668A (21 Mbps) for 350,000 kips ($44). Without a high speed HSPA+ phone or modem, download speeds may be similar to LTC or ETL's 1-2 Mbps. There is no special data SIM; any recent Tigo/Beeline SIM should work in a 3G phone, tablet or USB modem. Cost 10,000 kips includes 5,000 kips airtime. Beeline data plans.

Tigo/Beeline APN: tigolaowap, tigolaonet, beelinenet. You can download the Tigo/Beeline GPRS/3G setup direct to your phone, see the settings on the Tigo (now Beeline) SIM menu or website. For mobile phone tethering it's a similar procedure to ETL, but you may need to add the initialisation string: AT+CGDCONT=,,"tigolaonet" to your modem advanced settings. Dialup is *99#. Download Beeline Lao ZTE MF 668A software.

Tigo/Beeline offers only low usage data plans, simple to activate and set up; a little cheaper than the equivalent from the other Lao operators. Send SMS to 234 from mobile phone or modem e.g. D1 to activate daily plan, DER D1 to cancel, C to check balance. Cost of data is 300 kips/Mb without a Beeline data plan. Cancel an existing plan before starting a new one.

GPRS/EDGE for ETL, LaoTel & Unitel CDMA Mobile Phones

ETL GPRS: Before August 31 when ETL 3G NET became available, ETL had only 2G via mobile or ZTE MF180 USB modem. ETL APN: etlnet. Get ETL GPRS setup settings. EDGE requires no extra settings. If it is available the connection will show as E, otherwise it will remain at G for GPRS. To use your phone as a modem with an ETL SIM, connect it to the computer by USB cable or Bluetooth and Windows should detect it. In Control Panel, Phones & Modem, check it's there and add this control string in the Advanced Settings: AT+CGDCONT=1,"ip","etlnet","",0,0

In Windows Network Connections, create a dialup connection and set the phone number as *99***1#  Set/change the connection speed to 570K or higher. TCP/IP & DNS addresses should be allocated automatically.

LaoTel Win Phone, Unitel UniHome portable CDMA phones. WinPhone can connect to the internet with a special Huawei USB cable (if you can find one). Drivers are on a supplied CD or LaoTel's website. Set up a new dialup connection. Phone number: #777, Username: win@ltc.com, Password: win. To top up a Win Phone account, follow the instructions on a LaoTel refill card. For a balance check call 122. When a Lao voice asks you to choose a language (pasaa) press 2 for English and continue. You can also key the code in without voice.

Unitel's UniHome Phone is similar to Win Phone but is a voice-only service with SMS.

Digital Communication Development in Lao PDR

Rich and poor alike in Laos use mobile phones now that prices have dropped to below $30 for basic brand name as well as Chinese and Korean unlocked handsets bought locally or in Thailand. Internet usage is increasing rapidly as Lao youth discovers social networking, chatting and wireless broadband coverage widens. Cell phones are seen everywhere. By 2011 there were an estimated 3.5 million cell phone users in Laos, about 60% of the population. This is still quite low by world standards, but many homes in rural, mountainous areas are still without electricity. Mobile handsets are seen almost permanently clamped to a Lao ear, whether the user is on foot, riding a motorcycle (or buffalo!) and of course while driving.

TEST WELL BEFORE BUYING A CHINESE COPY MOBILE PHONE OR TABLET!
Laos is one of many countries with pirated software, music and other CDs as well as cheap Chinese copies of popular brand mobile phones and tablets including ripoff iPhones and iPads. If they actually work like the real thing (some do, others don't) and cost 15-25% of the price, then buying one may be a risk worth taking; just don't rely on these copies exclusively.

Android Phones and Tablets in Laos

Leading brand Android phones and tablets from Samsung, LG, Acer etc are available in Vientiane and other cities in Laos. See below for recommended dealers.

Chinese 7"-10" Android tablets (iPad copy) may come with multi-language options but not Lao. "Chi-Pads" are sold in Vientiane at Talat Sao Mall and Chinese-owned shops for around $90-120. Genuine Samsung, iPad and other brand name tablets are available in stores like K Plaza, LaoMobile, Jiro Computer and MacinLao. See more below under shops. A Lao Language Pack for Android Market-enabled devices is available free at AndroidZoom.com.

Using a Thai SIM in Laos
Thai mobile operators like AIS, DTAC, Orange or True cells will be within signal range in border areas, so Thai SIMs can be used for both telephone calls and internet access. Some Lao residents have dual SIMs and mobiles for Laos and Thailand. In Vientiane a Thai SIM can be used near the Mekong River opposite Thai towns Sri-chiangmai and Nongkhai and other Lao locations near the Thai border such as Paksan and Pakse. Note that areas of Nongkhai and Udonthani do not have 3G yet although most other main Thai towns do.

Similarly, Lao mobiles can be used in other country border areas like Nongkhai, Thailand which is near Vientiane. There are many areas where Lao borders Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and China. Note that buying a mobile phone in Laos, some brands including Nokia may not have Thai characters on the keypad, whereas in Thailand, all computers and phones are supplied for Thai/English use, also suitable for most Lao. Lao or Thai keyboard stickers are available.

Thai SIM refill cards can also be bought in some Vientiane convenience stores and mobile phone shops. International Roaming is also available on several of the Thai and Lao cell phone networks but due to the expense of this service it is better to purchase Lao SIMs.

Laos telecommunications and IT improvements result from joint ventures between Thai, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Australian private enterprise and the Lao Government. Lao Telecom, Tigo (now Beeline), ETL and Unitel (StarPhone) are the main Lao mobile phone operators offering a variety of services including internet access via GPRS/EDGE, 3G, CDMA, WiFi, 4G WiMax wireless broadband and ADSL in some areas. You can connect direct from a suitable phone or use the phone as a modem for your laptop or PC (tethering).

In cities and provincial towns, apart from 3G phone and modem service, there are internet shops with dialup, ADSL, broadband or wi-fi connections, free or paid from $0.50 an hour;; also satellite in outlying areas,  WiFi hotspots are increasing especially in popular foreign tourist places like Vangvieng, either free or about 300 kip/min ($2 per hour) in internet shops.

Lao residents of main towns have options for internet connection by landline dialup, ADSL or fiber-optic cable, wireless broadband, wifi, WiMax from the main telecom operators.

Laos is still well behind many of its neighbours in terms of speed and price, although 3G is more widely available than in NE Thailand. Most internet communication outside the country via links to Thailand, Vietnam, China and Cambodia now pass through the Lao National Information Centre (NIC Gateway). However, there are very few website restrictions imposed by the government.

Home or Business Telephone (PSTN) Lines in Lao PDR

Depending on physical location, Lao Telecom, ETL or Unitel can provide regular phone, fax or dialup (even ADSL and leased lines for internet) for home or office. Application should be made to their respective offices. They will do an area inspection and advise you of cost and time for installation (maybe several weeks).

For conventional fax service, if you don't have a fixed phone line, an alternative is a the LaoTel Win Phone CDMA terminal version, which doesn't have a handset, but has inputs for a standard handset, fax machine and PC. In certain areas outside the city, an external antenna may be required.

Significant expansion of terrestrial telephone networks (land lines or fiber-optic cables) for eventual nationwide coverage is unlikely in Laos, due to the large rural and mountainous areas and low population density. Wireless systems for communications and data transfer  cost less and are relatively cheap to install and maintain, in developing countries especially.

Unlocking USB Modems and Mobile Cell Phones

Many locked USB modems and mobile phones) can be unlocked from a network by several methods including hardware, a cable or with a software utility download. An unlocked device can be used globally with any mobile network. Some devices can be unlocked free but most require online payment or purchase of credits for the unlock code for a single IMEI number.

For example, £9.95 ($15) will unlock a ZTE Unitel MF 190, ETL MF 180 or Beeline MF 668A at Unlocked Dongle UK; also other ZTE and Huawei variants. After unlocking, any data SIM works in these modems. Lao ISP versions of ZTE software lets APNs be added and switched between: unitel3g, etlnet, tigolaonet and ltcnet; Lao 3G SIMs cost 10-35,000 kips.

Note: Allocate one modem and software per machine; use only that modem and select the network for the SIM you are using (settings). There will be a conflict if you try and install more than one version of ZTE software. Uninstall before using a different one.

Unlocking a USB modem may destroy its built-in software and driver package. Always make a copy of this the first time you install it – before attempting an unlock; the program and drivers are needed for usinginstalling the dongle on a different computer.

If you need Laos USB modem software, here are ETL, LaoTel (Windows/Linux/Mac), Unitel and Beeline programs in zip format; also ZTE generic drivers and program.

Planet Online Laos, possibly of more interest to Vientiane residents than visitors, has its own ISP network providing broadband, WiFi and 4G mobile WiMAX (2.5GHz). Download speeds ~5-8 Mbps. Their older 1-2 Mbps wireless broadband service in Vientiane continues with increased data allowance but may become obsolete as Planet's WiMax coverage extends to a wider area around the capital and in future to other provinces. Various proprietary hardware options and Planet WiMax data plans to cater for personal and business users. Faster downloads than most 3G services, but below the WiMax mobile maximum of 10 Mbps as more users subscribe and traffic increases. Speed tests show up to 8 Mbps from Hanoi and Bangkok, depending on time of day.

Satellite Broadband Internet in Laos is available through Lao Telecom who have a gateway to the Thaicom IPSTAR satellite. Some Lao organisations and businesses including hotels and guesthouses use this to offer WiFi to their clients and, for example, guests at the Zen Namkhan Boutique Resort which is only 20 km from the centre of Luang Prabang, but outside the main broadband services in Lao's built-up areas. However, for the subscriber, iPStar from LaoTel is expensive and slow at $70 or more per month for a 256/128K connection; that's according to a leaflet, but the LaoTel website showed in August 2010, $360 per month plus equipment deposit.

TIP: Google Mail is an easy way to manage email on laptops, tablets and GPRS/3G phones. If you have a free Google Account you can download the GMail Mobile application to your phone or tablet (genuine ones may already have it installed) or access it via browser. Send and receive mail from all your accounts through POP/forwarding settings in your Google Mail account. There are also Apple and Android Apps available for GMail and Google Calendar sync.

Lao and Thai language and script for PCs and mobile phones

Lao Script for Windows is a commercial product available for Lao keyboard input (usually standard US or US/Thai keyboards with Lao key stickers). Google.la has Lao and English language options. Mobile phones sold in Laos have English, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese and other language options. Few if any have Lao but most local users select Thai language for phone menus and SMS text messaging, although more users such as students are becoming proficient in English too.

Lao Phone Shops, Mobile, Electrical/Electronic Dealers, Sales, Service

See warning above regarding copy phones. If you have a Nokia or other mobile phone or camera and are having memory or file copy protection problems when upgrading a TransFlash or MicroSD card in your device, then visit our MicroSD page. There are many solutions. Unfortunately, one of them is to replace the SD card with a new one.

The Laos Nokia distributor has a Vientiane shop and service centre in Dong Palane Road, a short distance from the traffic lights behind the Morning Market, near the K Plaza Shopping Mall (part of Kolao) a reliable dealer in leading-brand Korean and Japanese consumer goods, TVs, cameras, air conditioners etc like Samsung, Panasonic, Sanyo. The iMobile store nearby on the corner of Lane Xang Avenue also sells branded home electrical products. Lao Mobile Group has outlets in Vientiane (Dong Palane), Luang Prabang and Pakse, offering a range of branded mobile phones including Nokia, Samsung, LG and HTC, available also at Kouang Telecom (Kwang, Kuang) phone 021-216046. Jiro Computer is near Lao-ITECC and has a wide range of office products include Apple and shopping online. Also for Mac users is MacinLao by ME with a sales and service shop near the corner of Setthathirath and Khunbolum Roads in central Vientiane. The Morning Market (Talat Sao Shopping Mall) also has outlets selling all kinds of equipment, mostly Chinese copy phones and tablets. Beware the limited features of these ripoff devices.

Television, Cable and Satellite TV Online

The Lao National Television service provides a limited amount of government-originated content Most viewers in Laos have access to national and commercial Thai TV channels either by cable or satellite. Most 'lowland' Lao can understand Thai and the cultures are similar, so Thai movies, soap operas, talk and game shows are very popular. Outlying districts rely on a satellite service of mixed Lao, Chinese, Vietnamese or Cambodian origin.

Several satellite-based services exist; Thailand's True (formerly UBC) offers the most, but costs about $60 per month plus equipment deposit. Lao Cable TV (joint Lao/Chinese) is the largest local cable provider. Available in Vientiane city and surrounding villages, the service costs around $100 for installation and the first 3 months viewing, then about $3 per month. Several language groups are catered for besides Lao. There's English from the UK (BBC), USA (CNN, CNBC), Australia (ABC Australia Network), S Korea (Arirang) and China (CCTV); all Thai TV channels including several True (UBC), Vietnamese, Cambodian, Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan (Chinese language), Japanese, Russian, French and German channels are all shown. Thai movies, Star or Fox Movies, HBO, and several Asian (Indian/Chinese/Singapore) movie, music and several sports channels including Star Sport and ESPN are there too. About 35 channels in all. There is also a digital terrestrial service in Vientiane, with fewer channels. Several other cable operators service cities and towns in Laos. Most are Chinese or Vietnamese owned and operated, so English language channels are few.

Viewing & Downloading UK or USA TV Broadcasts while Overseas

UK or US citizens and others living abroad can see their favorite shows on computer by using a Virtual Private Network or VPN service such as StrongVPN. This can be set for a USA, UK or European IP address on the same account; cost is less than $5 per month. Apart from anonymous browsing, bypassing national site blocking etc, you can get free access to BBC iPlayer, ITV, Channel 4, 5 On Demand plus main US network channels and sites like Hulu. Very easy to set up or change server country location. Many different country IP addresses available.

 

View or download and watch shows later using an inexpensive program that streams or downloads TV shows, movies from all popular sources. TubeDigger is possibly the only program that works with Hulu (as of January 2012).

Logistics – freight transport, postal services by road, rail and air. Thailand to Laos Railroad Service – see Lao Travel Page

Thai Air Cargo has an office near Wattay Airport. Freight forwarding agencies and couriers like DHL, FedEx, EMS have offices or representatives in the Lao PDR. They are able to pick up and deliver goods globally. Shipments from Vientiane are sent via Thailand, by air to Bangkok or by road via Nongkhai. Online tracking is available for couriers including EMS.

Note, although there are letter collection boxes, there is no national postal delivery service in Laos, only PO Box numbers (at main and some district post offices); also Post Restante. Mailed/EMS packages are held for collection at the Vientiane main post office opposite the Morning Market  A notification slip should be left in a PO Box, but if expecting a delivery, use online tracking services if available. Passport or ID is required to collect packages. Some consignments may attract customs duty.

Electronic Banking in Laos

It's only a few years since Vientiane got its first ATM cash dispenser. Now they are around much of the Lao PDR, using the PLUS and Cirrus networks (VISA and MasterCard). Local credit card merchant and customer accounts are available, although online banking services are limited. See our Lao Banking page for further details.

 

You can help Lao youngsters learn to read books in their own language and also
in English; the government education system is badly under-resourced.

Home