Expert Consultation on the Asian Information Superhighway and Regional Connectivity

24‐25 September 2013The Heritage, Manila, Philippines

Expert Consultation on the Asian Information Superhighway and Regional Connectivity

24‐25 September 2013The Heritage, Manila, Philippines

COUNTRY REPORTLAO PDR

Organization: Ministry of Posts and TelecommunicationsPresent by: Mr. Somnuck PHOTHIRATH

Director General Institute of Posts and Telecommunications

COUNTRY REPORTLAO PDR

Organization: Ministry of Posts and TelecommunicationsPresent by: Mr. Somnuck PHOTHIRATH

Director General Institute of Posts and Telecommunications

Location: South East Asia Area: 236, 800 Sq.km Capital: Vientiane Currency: Kip (1USD=7,850Kip) Populations: 6,5M Official Language: Lao GDP per capita: USD 1,069

Country code:  856 ccTLD : .la Tele density: 88%

Fixed line: 2.4% Mobile: 85.6%

IXP: 01 ISP: 07 Internet density: 6.0%

A brief of Lao P.D.R

About the Ministry of Post and Telecommunication

• 22  October,  2007  Established  to  National  Authority  of  Posts  and Telecommunications (NAPT) belong to Prime Minister Office.

• 26  September,  2011  Established  to  Ministry  of  Posts  and Telecommunications is consists of 08 departments and 4 centers. 

• Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications  is a State Administration on Posts and Telecommunications/ICT, mainly dealing with:– Policy  and  Strategy  of  Posts  and  Telecommunications  sector development, 

– Licensing  and  regulatory  functions  in  respect  of  the  Posts  and Telecommunications sectors,

– Managing and Regulating of Radio Frequency spectrum,– Ensuring,  enforcing  of  National  and  international communications,

– Marketing  Management  for  Operation  of  Posts  and Telecommunications.

TELECOMMUNICATION INFRASTRUCTURE

National TransmissionsNetwork (NTN)

Lao National Internet Center (LANIC)

E-Government Center (e-gov.)

Business Center (BC)

5 | Presentation Title | Month 2007Lao Government Infrastructures Overview

Village Offices

Government Government NetworkNetwork

EE--government Centergovernment Center

MinistriesOffices

Province Offices

PhasePhase--11 Government

Optical

National Transmission Network PhasePhase--2A2A

Government, Public & Business

Lao National Internet Center

International Network

PublicPublicNetworNetworkk

PhasePhase--2B2B

LANICLANIC

ISP

Telecom Carriers

People

Business

ICT POLICY to 2015

• Encourage foreign direct investment;

• Develop ICT skills and competencies in Government, industry and society; 

• Establishment of Radio Frequency Monitoring Stations in 3 locations of Laos.

• Creating national spectrum management and numbering plans to effectively and efficiently administer these scarce resources;

• The establishment of the Electronic Government Project using WiMax to maximize coverage;

• To Upgrade Telecommunication Network and provide broadband services and applications country wide.

• Develop Lao application system and the local content in Lao language in order to spread information to Lao people.

International Cooperation

• ITU – Consultation on ICT Strategy Plan for Laos 2010 

• APT – Pilot project on e‐Health 2010 ‐2011 under extra budget contribution of Japan;

• Korea – KISDI: Consultation Project on Interconnection Policy and Radio Spectrum Policy ‐2010

• Vietnam – Project on (.La) migration to LaNIX‐ 2011

• China / ADB – GMS‐IS Project

8 | Presentation Title | Month 2007

APG cable system

KOREA

JAPAN

TAIWAN

PHILIPPINES

HONG KONG

THAILAND

MALAYSIA

SINGAPORE

CHINA MAINLAND

BRUNEI

INDONESIA

La Union

Da Nang

Qingdao

Chongming

Kuantan

VIETNAM

Songkhla

Changi

Busan

Shinmaruyama

Toucheng

Tai Po

9

Philippines

Thailand

Brunei

Singapore

Hawaii

United States

Malaysia

Vietnam

Hong Kong

Guam

(Sri Racha)

(Mersing)

(Changi)

(VungTau)

(Tungku)

(Lantau)(Currimao)

(Tanguisson)

(Makaha)

(Manchester)

BU1

BU2 BU3

BU4

AAG Cable System

Network FacilitiesNetwork Facilities

Optical Fiber Systems - AAG

Current Licenses and Ownership Structure of Telecom Operators and ISP

1996Lao Telecom Co. ‐ LTC  (JV)

‐ 51% of Lao Telecom Company 

‐ 49% held by Shin Corp. (Thailand)                             reverts to govt. in 2021

2000: Enterprise Telecom Lao –ETL(SOE)

‐ 100%  Lao Gov.

2002:  Millicom Lao – Tigo2011: VinpelCom‐(Bee Line) ‐(Private)

‐ 22% held by Lao Gov.

‐ 78% held by Millicom 

2008STARTEL‐ Unitel(JV)

‐ 51% held by Lao Gov.  

‐ 49% held by VietTel (Vietnam)

1999Planet Online (ISP)

‐ 100% Private

Telecom/ICTs Services & ISPTelecom Operators/ISPs Technology/Services

Enterprise Telecommunication Lao (ETL)

‐PSTN (Fixed line), GSM900/1800, GPRS‐ISP (Dial up, ADSL, HIL, VPN)

Lao Telecommunication Company (LTC)

‐PSTN (Fixed Line), GSM900/1800, CDMA (WLL)  ‐3G (WCDMA) service trial launched in July 2008‐ISP (Dial up, ADSL, IP Star )

Star Telecom Co.(Unitel)

‐PSTN (Fixed Line), GSM 900/1800,  ‐3G (WCDMA)‐ ISP (Dial up, ADSL)

MillicomLao Co. Ltd (Tigo)              (Bee line)

‐ GSM 900/1800, EDGE,‐WiMAX

Planet Online Broadband Wireless Internet @ 700 MHz‐ISP

LaNIX Domestic and International Gate Ways

2G/3G and WiMax Spectrum Licenses

2G LaoTelecom(LTC)

Enterprise Telecom Lao

(ETL)

STARTEL(Unitel)

VimPelcom(Beeline)

GSM900 2x6 MHz 2x6 MHz(GPRS trial)

2x6 MHz 2x6 MHz

GSM1800 2x10 MHz 2x10 MHz 2x10 MHz 2x10 MHz

CDMA450(WLL)

2x5 MHz- - -

3G (WCDMA) 2x15MHz 2x10MHz

WiMax (2.5GHz)

TDD 30MHz FDD 20MHzTDD 10MHz

Internet bandwidth 2011

Operators To China To Thailand To Vietnam To LaNIX Total

LTC 622 Mbps 622 Mbps 155 Mbps 1399Mbps

ETL 155 Mbps 400 Mbps 555Mbps

MIL (Tigo) 98 Mbps 98Mbps

STARTEL 155Mbps 500 Mbps 655Mbps

NAST 5 Mbps 30Mbps 30Mbps

Planet 60Mbps 60Mbps

Total 777 Mbps 1275 Mbps 655 Mbps 90Mbps 2797Mbps

LANIC

Optical Fiber backbone

PHONGSALI

LOUANGNAMTHA

OUDOMXAI

HOUYXAI

BOKEO

Paklay

XAIGNABOULI

Pakbeng

Pakxeng

KhinakKhong

Phonthong

CHAMPASAK

ATTAPUE

XEKONGLAMAM

SALAVAN

SAVANNAKHET

ChamphonPhin

Mahaxai

THAKHEK

Hinboun

PAKXAN

Khamkeut

BOLIKHAMXAI

XAMNUAE

HUAPHAN

PEKXIANGKHOANG

KHAMMUANEXanakham

Shiangkhong

Houaykone

VTE

Shongmek

PHONHONGKeo-oudom

Vangviang

Thoulakhom

Sanamxai

Soukhuma

Champasak

SALAVAN

KHANTHABOULI

XAIGNABOULI

LOUANGPHABANG

M. Kham.

Nonghet

M. Xai

NAMTHA

PHONGSALI

M. Khoa

XAISOMBOUN

M. kao

M. Sing

XianghonHongsa

Viangxai

ViangthongHouamuang

Xamtai

Xaibouli

Atsaphangthong Sepon

Khongxedon

Songkhon

Pathoumphon

Mounlapamok

Xanasomboun

Sanxai

Xaisettha

Dakchueng

Kaluem

Thateng

Lakhonpheng

Samouy

VeelabuliAtsaphon

Xonbouli

Thapangthong

Nong

Nakay

Gnomalat

Bualapha

XebangfaiNongbok

Bolikhan Viangthong

Pakkading

Thaphabath

ThathomPhoun

Hom

Longxan

Kasi

M. Fuaeng

Boten

Kenthao

KhoyNguen

Phiang

Meung

Pha-oudom

Paktha

Tonpheung

HounNga

Beng

Namo

La

NaleViangphoukha

M. Long

Samphan

Mai

Bountai

Gnot-ou

Nambak

M. Ngoy

Phonxai

XiangngeunNan Phoukhoun

Pak-ou

Chomphet

Xiangkho

Phoukout

MokmaiKhoun

Phaxai

Ta-oy

CHINA

MYANMAR

THAILAND

VIETNAM

CAMBODIA

1

1

1

13

13

13

1

13

13

13

13

13

6

6

TO VINH

77

8A

8

9

Lak 35

Hinhurp

Nonehai

B. Vang

ETL Optical Fiber Existing & New

CSC 430 Km

BengNapongPhonsavanh

HuayHor 43

30

Khonphapheng

Pakmong

Paksebangfai Borkham

Legend

GSM: 2, 5 BSC, 343 BTS, 400,000Subs

PSTN: 5 JMSU, 64 JRSU, 50, 000 Subs

Total= 3706.5 Km

Optical Fiber Phase 3 (1908.5 Km)

Optical Fiber Phase 2 (1368 Km)

To Neibering

Outhoumphon

PAKXEPakxong

LaongamBachiang

Boun-nua

Opitcal Fiber Phase 3B New (1150 Km)

Challenges• Lack of a commonly accepted shared vision for an ICT development strategy with

priorities for the telecommunication infrastructure, multimedia platform development, application and content development in order to develop ICT utilization by the population.

• Lack of knowledge in the current regulatory framework, especially for convergence of mobile and fixed and also of media and telecommunications with Internet.

• Lack of affordability and availability of hardware and software due to low income,Laos is landlocked country and don’t have the direct access to OFC backbone.

• The TIEN3 Network of neighbor country did not expanded to the border of the countries, therefore it must be connect through the service operator of those country which will be another service charge.

• Lack of the applications and the security to be run on the passive infrastructure.

• The Internet Fees and Telecommunication fees still considering as very expensive compared to the ASEAN countries.

• The lack of well educated and experienced personnel at all levels of society and in all sectors remains a constraint to social-economic development.

Future Action Plan for development of ICTFuture Action Plan for development of ICT• Develop measures to achieve the e-ASEAN Framework Agreement, as well as to

ensure efforts to keep pace with the ASEAN level of ICT technology through the promotion of a national ICT innovation.

• Enhance government services through further utilization of ICT applications.

• Improve telecommunication/ICT resources management.

• Extend telecommunication transmission backbone to link all ministries and government organizations country wide.

• Promote utilization of ICT for private sector development and reform as well as for growth of e-Commerce environment.

• Enhance the level of ICT literacy of the population. Develop an ICT literate society that enables people of Laos to participate fully in Information Society.