As Laos is opening its borders, more and more travelers are preparing their plans to visit the country.
A common concern that tourists could have about traveling to Laos is whether their mobile phone would work in the country. It could be a really frustrating experience to find out that your smartphone does not work after landing in Laos.
Is my phone SIM Locked?
The first thing you need to check is whether your smartphone is sim locked. A sim lock or network lock is a technical restriction built into mobile phones by manufacturers to restrict the use of these phones to specific networks.
In the western world, it is common to find sim-locked phones. If you bought your phone from your mobile carrier at a very cheap cost, it is most likely sim-locked, which prevents you from using it with a different mobile carrier. The main reason mobile operators network lock phones is that the phone is subsidized and the cost of the phone is recovered over the contract period.
If your phone is sim-locked, you will not be able to use it in Laos.
The first option you could do is then ask your carrier to unlock your phone. The mobile operator may charge you for this and the fees can be quite high depending on where you stand in your contract.
The second option is to find a mobile shop that knows how to unlock your smartphone. Make sure to select a reliable mobile shop, as this procedure is not completely legal, and you face the risk of having your device bricked forever. If your device is “bricked”, it is not usable anymore.
Frequency Compatibility
The second thing you need to check is your phone’s operating frequencies. A phone is a wireless device emitting and receiving on a frequency span. Each mobile technology 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G has its own range of respective frequencies. As mobile frequencies are a very expensive commodity, telecom providers operate on specific frequency ranges, and you would have to make sure that the operating frequencies are compatible with your phone.
Luckily, the mobile carriers in Laos operate in standard frequencies that would work with most mobile phones these days. It is still important to verify that your handset will support these frequencies.
Source: Halberd Bastion
Note that TPLUS is an MVNO on Lao Telecom and Best Telecom is an MVNO on ETL Mobile so these carriers share the same frequencies.
If you wish to confirm that your smartphone is compatible with the said frequencies, you can go on gsmarena website, find your phone model and look for the network tab. Click on “expand” and cross-check that your device is compatible with Lao mobile frequencies.
What to do if my phone is not compatible?
Use a Mobile WiFi Hotspot in Laos
If you really want to use your phone, but it is sim locked or not compatible with the mobile frequencies in Lao PDR, the solution is to buy a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot.
A Wi-Fi hotspot is a small device that will create a small WiFi network, enabling surrounding devices to connect and access the Internet via the hotspot cellular modem.
Most mobile Wi-Fi hotspots are lightweight, portable, and equipped with a battery. You can keep them in your pocket or in your bag and carry them around, so you can always stay connected to the Internet.
Mobile hotspots are a perfect solution if you are traveling as a couple or a family, as you can share the same device between 7-8 people.
You can buy a local SIM Card and a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot in Laos. Hotspot devices can be found in the IT shops in Vientiane and Luang Prabang. You can also order your device with a fully activated Lao SIM Card from us prior to your trip and get it delivered to your hotel on the day of your arrival.
Use a Local Smartphone in Laos
If you do not want to bother with an extra device, it could be a good idea to invest in a cheap smartphone for your trip. In Laos, the popular phone brands are Realme, Xiaomi, Huawei, and Samsung. You can find many mobile shops in Vientiane, Pakse and Luang Prabang that sell dual SIM smartphones in the $100-$200 range.
If you are interested in ordering a Lao SIM Card, visit our store, and we will have it delivered to your hotel before your arrival.