Lao Telecom ready to launch 3G mobile network Lao Telecom will introduce a third generation (3G) mobile phone network in Vietntiane in October after long delays due to technical difficulties, the Vientiane Times reported on Wednesday.
The service will allow people to access high-speed Internet and receive video calls via their mobile phones, the newspaper quoted Lao Telecom Director General Thansamay Kommasith as saying.
The network was originally scheduled to be launched in August 2006, but was delayed due to a lack of technical expertise.
The third generation mobile network system provides multimedia services and links to the Internet at speeds of up to 2 megabytes per second, according to Thansamay.
Customers can download video clips to their handsets, including sports updates, music files, news headlines, weather forecasts and movie trailers.
"This year, our 3G services will only be available in Vientiane. We hope to have about 30,000 customers by the end of the year," Thansamay said.
He said the network will be expanded to Luang Prabang, Savannakhet and Champassak provinces next year, adding an expected 100,000 more customers.
3G users can call to any network, but can only make video calls to other 3G users.
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