Star Telecom (Unitel), a joint venture between the Viettel Military Industry and Telecoms Group and Lao Asia Telecom, held a ceremony on October 23 to mark 10 years since they started offering telecommunications services in Laos.

Unitel General Director Luu Manh Ha 

At the event, Unitel General Director Luu Manh Ha said the corporation has developed global-level telecommunications infrastructure in the Southeast Asian country, with 3G, 4G and 4.5G mobile broadband networks offered across the nation through 8,000 base transceiver stations (BTS) and 30,000 kilometres of fibre-optic cable.

With the largest network infrastructure and more than 3 million customers, Unitel has maintained its position as the leading telecoms company in Laos for the past decade, he said, adding, besides contributing nearly 650 million USD to the Lao state budget, Unitel has created jobs for over 20,000 local workers.

The firm has engaged in a wide range of social programmes to improve livelihoods in the host nation, including providing free internet in schools, supporting natural disaster-hit residents, and training hundreds of high-quality IT-telecoms workers, he said.

Ha pledged to modernise the firm with the most advanced technologies, and Unitel will pilot 5G technologyfollowed by artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR) and big data.

Lao Minister of Defence Chansamone Chanyalath said the Lao Government highly evaluated Unitel’s contributions to society over the past 10 years, making it the largest telecoms company in Laos.

Unitel has reformed Laos’ telecommunications and IT sector, he said, adding that thanks to the firm’s wide network with nationwide coverage, Lao people have access to telecoms services and information.

On the occasion, Chansamone presented the Lao Government’s first-class Freedom Order (Itsala) and first-class Development Order (Phatthana) to Unitel for its great contributions to local socio-economic development and security and defence affairs.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Lao Nguyen Ba Hung also handed over a third-class Labour Order conferred by the Vietnamese Government to Unitel.

Ha thanked the Lao Government, Party and people for endorsing the firm’s activities, and pledged to work more to treasure the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive ties between the Parties, States and people of Vietnam and Laos.