Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Things You Need to Know
(Appendix)
MOBILE PHONES
Laos is fairly well-covered, more so in the major cities. Three major carriers are worth not-
ing:
•
M-phone:
thebrandnameforLaoTelecom -goodoverall3Gcoverageinthecities,
and EDGE coverage elsewhere. After getting started, you are requested to register
your phone number with M-phone (the Lao Telecom) by calling 5551. Learn more
by calling 101 or online at
laotel.com
.
•
Beeline:
according to some expats in Laos, the best in the country for data and
smartphones. Learn more by calling 123 or online at
beeline.la
.
•
Unitel:
not quite an also-ran, but not as commonly seen. Learn more by calling 109
or online at
unitel.com.la
.
While exact prices vary, calls start at 300 kip per minute and up. International calls can get
expensive - consider using Skype or a similar service for those sort of calls. Each service re-
quests your registration of the number, and they're currently giving a 10,000 kip bonus for a
few minutes of your time. If you're on a smartphone, expect to be charged by the megabyte
- prices vary by company, naturally, but around 90 kip / MB looks to be the average.
WARNING: If you're bringing your smartphone into Laos, be aware your passive data will
eatyourcreditevenwhennotusingyourphone.You'llwanttoturnonairplanemode/flight
mode when not using your phone to ensure data isn't being used, or just stick to WiFi found
across the touristy areas.
Whichever service you choose, be aware they're all partially or completely owned by the
Laos government, so be careful with what you say or which websites you visit while in the
country.
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