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Telecom provider launches 3G network
Enterprise of Telecommu-nications Laos (ETL) officially launched its 3G service on Wednesday after spending a year preparing the network.
The launch, which marks the 11th anniversary of ETL, was also used to announce the establishment of the telecom provider as a public company.
“The 3G launch is not a new story in Laos because recently two other telecom operators have launched a 3G network and we are the third to do so,” ETL's Chief Executive Officer Mr Khammouane Xomsihapany said at the ceremony.
Lao Telecommunications Company (LTC) and Star Telecom Co Ltd (Unitel) are ETL's major competitors in 3G service provision and both have worked hard to improve their services and networks and to present themselves as the best option for customers.
“We have invested about 96 billion kip (US$12 million) on the 3G system and services,” Mr Khammouane said yesterday.
The company will provide Internet access for computers via USB 3G wireless Internet modems and 3G sim cards on mobile phones.
“We expect to sell about 15,000 USB 3G wireless Internet modems this year,” he said.
The new 3G service will make a wider range of media and information services available to customers through their mobile phones.
“Our target customers will be b usinesspeople, investors and those on a permanent salary, followed by teenagers, students and tourists,” he said.
This year the company invested billions of kip on service development and network expansion.
This included 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 recently the network expansion to 1.5 million numbers, which is an increase from 1.4 million in the initial plan.
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 users of other services.
Mr Khammouane reported in March this year that ETL had over 985,000 mobile phone customers, up 3.6 percent from 2009; over 18,000 fixed line phone customers, an increase of about 3 percent compared to 2009; and around 3,500 Internet customers, up 156 percent since 2009.
ETL has 10 branches and six service units, 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 telecoms sector, with mobile phone service covering 5,683 villages in 143 districts, or about 65 percent of all villages nationwide.
It is budgeting for an increase in revenue of about 7 percent and tax contributions to national revenue of 10 percent this year.
It expects revenue to rise to 453 billion kip (US$56.4 million) and its contribution to national coffers to climb to over 79 billion kip (almost US$10 million) this year.
Laos currently has four telecom 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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