Lao Telecommunications Public Company, known as Lao Telecom, has launched its 5G service in an effort to facilitate people in Laos and elevate the nation’s digital economy. The state-owned operator is the first in the country to offer a full 5G service, beating its rival Unitel, which is partly owned by Vietnam’s Viettel.
A Milestone for Laos’ Digital Transformation
The launching ceremony was held in Vientiane on Wednesday, coinciding with the start of the five-day Lao Digital Week 2024, Lao Economic Daily reported on Thursday. The event showcased various digital products and services from public and private sectors, as well as foreign partners, to promote digital literacy and innovation in Laos.
At the same event, the Lao government also announced January 10 as the National Digital Day, with Lao Telecom being the first telecom operator in Laos to launch a full 5G service to coincide with the declaration of National Digital Day and signify its importance for Laos’ development. The launch of 5G service was a historic moment for Laos, as it would enable faster and more reliable internet access, as well as support various applications and solutions for smart cities, e-government, e-commerce, e-education, e-health, and e-agriculture.
A Wide Coverage and Affordable Price
Lao Telecom has already launched the 5G system in Lao capital Vientiane at 28 locations, covering urban areas, important places, and various tourist attractions. It plans to expand the system throughout the country to ensure customers can access 5G technology and experience a modernized technology that has seen rapid progress and delivered advanced technology in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
According to Lao Telecom, the 5G service offers a download speed of up to 1.2 Gbps and an upload speed of up to 100 Mbps, which is 10 times faster than 4G. The service also has a low latency of less than 10 milliseconds, which is ideal for real-time applications and online gaming.
To use the 5G service, customers need to have a 5G-compatible device. Customers do not need to change your sim card. The service is available for both prepaid and postpaid customers. The prepaid shortcode for the 5G service is *559*55 for the 500GB package valid 30 days or *559*51# for the 50GB package.