ID :
85409
Wed, 10/21/2009 - 11:55
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/85409
The shortlink copeid
Star Telecom launches mobile phone network “Unitel”
(KPL) The Lao-Asia Telecom and the Vietnam’s Military Telecom Corporation (Viettel) officially launched a mobile phone network, called Unitel, in Laos, on 16 October.
The network is run by the Star Telecom Company, a joint-venture between the Lao-Asia Telecom and Viettel, in which the latter holds a 49 per cent stake.
With nearly 900 base transmission stations, the company hopes to attract 1 million subscribers or 25 per cent of the market share in Laos by 2010, according to Oulaha Thongvantha, chairman of the executive board of the Star Telecom.
The official launch ceremony took place at the Don Chanh Palace with the attendance of the Supreme Commander of the People’s Security Defence Force, Lieutenant General Douangchay Phichit, who is also Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence, Minister of Education Somkoth Mangnormek, Deputy Director General of the Viettel Corporation, and Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos.
Mr. Oulaha said that the Star Telecom is a joint venture company between the Lao Asia Telecom attached to the Ministry of National Defence and the Viettel Company, Ministry of National Defence of Vietnam.
The investment agreement was made in Hanoi, Vietnam, in November 2007. Laos currently has a population of roughly 6.2 million and has five mobile phone suppliers.
The Unitel is Viettel’s second mobile phone network abroad; Metfone network launched earlier this year in Cambodia was the first. Metfone ranks second among eight mobile phone networks in Cambodia with roughly 2 million subscribers as rated by the Wireless Intelligence, a global database of mobile market information.
At the end of the second quarter of this year, the Wireless Intelligence also rated Viettel to be among the world’s 746 leading telecom service providers. Viettel is targeting to be among the world’s top 30 mobile phone networks by 2015.
On the same occasion, the Star Telecom or Unitel gave USD 3 million fund to the Ministry of Education for installation and internet application.
The network is run by the Star Telecom Company, a joint-venture between the Lao-Asia Telecom and Viettel, in which the latter holds a 49 per cent stake.
With nearly 900 base transmission stations, the company hopes to attract 1 million subscribers or 25 per cent of the market share in Laos by 2010, according to Oulaha Thongvantha, chairman of the executive board of the Star Telecom.
The official launch ceremony took place at the Don Chanh Palace with the attendance of the Supreme Commander of the People’s Security Defence Force, Lieutenant General Douangchay Phichit, who is also Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence, Minister of Education Somkoth Mangnormek, Deputy Director General of the Viettel Corporation, and Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos.
Mr. Oulaha said that the Star Telecom is a joint venture company between the Lao Asia Telecom attached to the Ministry of National Defence and the Viettel Company, Ministry of National Defence of Vietnam.
The investment agreement was made in Hanoi, Vietnam, in November 2007. Laos currently has a population of roughly 6.2 million and has five mobile phone suppliers.
The Unitel is Viettel’s second mobile phone network abroad; Metfone network launched earlier this year in Cambodia was the first. Metfone ranks second among eight mobile phone networks in Cambodia with roughly 2 million subscribers as rated by the Wireless Intelligence, a global database of mobile market information.
At the end of the second quarter of this year, the Wireless Intelligence also rated Viettel to be among the world’s 746 leading telecom service providers. Viettel is targeting to be among the world’s top 30 mobile phone networks by 2015.
On the same occasion, the Star Telecom or Unitel gave USD 3 million fund to the Ministry of Education for installation and internet application.
