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ETL to launch 3G next month
Enterprise of Telecom-munications Lao (ETL) will officially launch 3G service next month after spending the first half of the year preparing the network.
“We have completed the system installation and expansion and it is now being tested,” a senior company official said yesterday.
“The initial plan was to have the company complete the work last month and start service this month. However, this has been delayed by a month,” he said.
The company will provide Internet access for computers via USB 3G wireless Internet modems and 3G sim cards on mobile phones.
The new 3G service will make a wider range of media and information services available to customers through their mobile phones.
This year the company will invest billions of kip on service development and network expansion.
This includes expanding mobile phone services with an additional 400,000 numbers on the 3G network, base station installation, improvement of Internet services, installation of transmission line systems or backbone cable systems, fixed line facilities and “network expansion to 1.5 million numbers, which is an increase from 1.4 million in the initial plan,” the official said.
Currently, Lao Telecom-munications Company (LTC) and Star Telecom Co Ltd (Unitel) are the two major competitors in 3G service provision. Both have worked hard to improve their services, network systems and to present themselves as the best option for customers.
This year ETL expects to attract an additional 220,000 mobile phone customers, 1,000 fixed line telephone clients, 2,000 Internet clients and 200 clients for other services.
Company Director General Mr Khammouane Xomsihapanya reported in March this year that ETL had over 985,000 mobile phone customers, up 3.6 percent from 2009, an increase of about 3 percent to over 18,000 fixed line phone customers and around 3,500 Internet customers, up 156 percent from 2009.
ETL has 10 branches and six service units, more than 730 staff, 914 mobile phone base stations, and a network that services cities, rural villages and overseas locations.
It now holds about 37 percent of the market share in the telecommunications sector, with mobile phone service covering 5,683 villages in 143 districts, or about 65 percent of all villages nationwide.
We are budgeting for an increase in revenue of about 7 percent and tax contributions to national revenue of 10 percent this year, Mr Khammouane reported.
ETL expects income to rise to 453 billion kip (US$56.4 million) and the contribution to national revenue to climb to over 79 billion kip (almost US$10 million) this year.
Laos currently has four telecommunication companies: LTC, ETL, Star Telecom and VimpelCom Lao Co Ltd, which took over the Millicom Lao Company (Tigo) recently.
vientiane times
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