A test took place yesterday at the company’s headquarters in Vientiane and was attended by Lao Telecom’s board of directors and representatives from relevant sectors.

5G technology is smarter, faster and more efficient than 4G and better responds to  users’ needs.

Wireless communication systems have developed rapidly and are widely used  in everyday life. Lao Telecom, a leading telecom operator in the country, has kept pace with new advanced technologies.

This test of  5G technology is a significant step for the company, as well as users, who are keen to upgrade and be on a par with international standards, said the company’s Deputy General Director, Mr Souphon Chanthavixay.

To support the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications’ strategy for ICT industry development – an important tool to drive socio-economic development and  integrate with regional and international standards - Lao Telecom has paid special attention to updating its business operations.

The 5G test is the company’s latest effort to bring advanced technology to the people of Laos, to not only improve their daily lives but also help them upgrade their businesses and so strengthen the economy, he said.

The upgrade will enable people and businesses to link up regionally and internationally, Mr Souphon added.

As the first integrated telecommunications provider in Laos since 1996, the company has offered wire-line and wireless services to 3.5 million people across the country.

In 2011, the company officially launched a 4G network. It was the first company to provide this system, making Laos only the second country in Southeast Asia and Asean to do so, after Singapore.

To affirm its telecommunications leadership in the country, the company began operating 4.5G services in Vientiane at the beginning of 2017 and then expanded services to the provinces.