Since Laos opened its border, travelers are slowly coming back to the country.
To our opinion, the right time to visit Laos is NOW!
Why? Because most of the tourists are not back yet, which means that you can enjoy the most popular sights without the crowd.
For instance, it is the perfect time to enjoy Luang Prabang’s Unesco World Heritage center. Before the pandemic, the city center was packed, and it was hard to really appreciate the peaceful atmosphere of this ancient city. These days, you can roam and admire architectural wonders without being interrupted by a herd of tourists.
The second reason is the local currency, the Lao KIP, which is currently quite low compared to the US Dollar, the Euro, or the Yuan. Traveling to Laos today is quite cheap.
For digital nomads or travelers addicted to Instagram, the mobile internet situation greatly matters. And the good news is that mobile internet services have significantly improved in Laos over the past few years.
According to a recent report from Ookla, the median mobile internet connection speed in Laos increased by 21% in the twelve months to the start of 2022.
Meanwhile, Ookla’s data shows that fixed internet connection speeds in Laos increased 50% during the same period.
In 2022, you will not face any issues with Internet service in Lao’s main cities. You can enjoy comparable or even better speeds than your home country, depending on where you come from.
The mobile service in Laos is steady, fast, and cheap!
Which are the best mobile operators in Laos?
Lao Telecom (LTC)
Lao Telecom is one of the biggest operators in Laos. It is a Lao company backed by Thai investment. Laotel aka LTC is the first 5G operator in Laos, but the coverage is very limited. 3G and 4G-wise, LTC service is very good, and it has one of the best mobile coverage in Laos.
You can buy LTC Prepaid Sim Cards and Mobile Top-ups in one of their agencies in Laos, or in most of the shops in the country.
Getting a Prepaid Laos SIM card as a traveler is not difficult. Still, it may require some basic communication in the local language as you would have to activate and register the SIM Card then top up and finally activate a data package.
If you want to avoid this hassle, you can also order your prepaid SIM card online through our website and have it delivered to your hotel before your arrival in Laos.
Unitel
Unitel is a subsidiary of the Vietnamese operator Viettel. Viettel has mobile operations in many countries in the world, such as Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Burundi, and Peru.
The Vietnamese mobile operator is known for having the best mobile coverage in rural areas. Their city coverage is also quite good. You can check out Unitel mobile coverage by visiting this page.
If you travel through South East Asia, you may have used Mytel in Myanmar, Metfone in Cambodia or Viettel in Vietnam. Well, Unitel belongs to the same ‘family’ and will provide you with a very similar experience.
Unitel is a solid option if you are looking for a prepaid SIM with cost-effective data packages.
If you plan to live for a few months/years in Laos, Unitel also offers Fiber to the Home service. Unitel’s home broadband is both cheap and very fast. It is definitely a solution to consider if you are a digital nomad looking for a steady Internet connection. The installation only takes a few days, and you can subscribe even if you stay a few months in Laos.
ETL
ETL is another mobile operator in Laos which is backed by Chinese investment. The operator is small compared to Unitel and Lao Telecom, but its service is decent. That being said, the coverage may be a bit limited and not fit your need if you wish to travel off the beaten tracks.
Best Telecom
Best Telecom is an MVNO on ETL, so it basically shares the same network. But the new mobile operator is building its own 4G network. So far, Best only offers postpaid SIM cards, so access to the service is not as convenient or as easy as the above choices. But their customer service is very good, and they also are very strong in fixed broadband services (FTTH).
TPLUS
TPLUS used to be called Beeline until it was acquired by Lao Telecom. TPLUS has now become an MVNO on LTC network and its customer target is mostly the young local population of Laos. Their offering is quite similar to Lao Telecom.
What is the cheapest mobile operator in Laos?
The answer to this question is: it depends. It will vary based on your usage and the duration of the package you will subscribe to. You can visit our recent article Mobile Data Plans in Laos 2022 and find out more about the current package offering for each mobile operator.
TL;DR – What is the best Prepaid SIM Card for my trip to Laos?
Our recommendation will be to go with either Unitel or Lao Telecom or both at the same time. If you have a dual SIM phone, you can buy two prepaid Lao SIM Cards to ensure you are always online. Remember that mobile services are cheap in Laos, so you will not break the bank with two prepaid SIM Cards.
If you like to save time, consider ordering your prepaid SIM Card online through our website. We deliver to your hotel door on the day of your arrival in Laos. This way, you will avoid all the hassle of activating your SIM Card, topping up, and registering your package, and we will support you for the duration of your trip!
According to the article, it was stated that there is 5G service from Lao Telecom. Can you please tell me where 5G is available and which Bands it runs on?
Hi Gustavo,
The 5G coverage is extremely limited. It is more like a PoC. I will not count on it if I were you.