PANO – Unitel is the best selection for almost people after they set their first foot in Wattay International Airport, Vientiane, Laos.

Unitel is a trademark of Viettel in Laos. Star Telecom Company officially opened Unitel network on October 16^th, 2009. Over the past two years, Unitel has operated the largest fiber optic cable line of 17,000 kilometers through all provinces, cities, even remote mountainous areas in Laos.

With slogan “Business follows after network”, Unitel has built about 2,500 signal stations of 2G and 3G for Lao people in localities in the country.

Unitel has also operated 14 international connection ports and completed building a strategic Indochinese ring line to connect Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.

This is thanks to great contribution of Unitel’s staff, including Lao and Vietnamese people who had crossed streams and mountains to install the connection lines, build broadcast stations to serve local people in remote villages.

After two years, 2.8 millions Lao people (about 40 percent of Lao population) have had access to Unitel network. In 2008, there were only 4 stores and 20 agents of Star Telecom Company. At present, there are 143 stores and 15,000 agents nationwide with thousands of its staffs and large distribution systems in every village in Laos.

Unitel is currently the largest telecommunication network in Laos of customers, coveraging zone and revenue.

Unitel is currently the largest telecommunication network in Laos of customers, broadcasting zone and revenue. The number of subscribers of Unitel had increased from 266,000 in 2009 to 1.7 million until last July.

In addition, the strategy “Popularize telecommunication service in Laos” with good services and reasonable prices makes Unitel a trusted choice to its users. This in turn helped increased Unitel’s turnover ceaselessly. In 2011, Unitel earned about 900 billion kips (equivalent to about US$110 million), 11 times more than that of 2009. Last year, Unitel also contributed about 220 billion kips (equivalent to US$ 27.4 billion) to Lao State budget.

It is expected that Unitel will reach the turnover of US$158 million after tax and contribute to the State budget US$43 million this year.

Unitel is also one of the most important tax payers to the Lao Government and one of the five most excellent telecommunication suppliers in Asia, according to the international telecommunication organizations in Australia, Terrapinn.

“Doing business in parallel with fulfilling social responsibilities” is the action philosophy of Unitel, Deputy-Director of Unitel Nguyen Dinh Khoi confirmed. At present, Unitel has implemented various social programs, at a total cost of more than US$2,8 million, for Laos, including free supplying internet access for more than 600 schools and education centers, building live broadcasting bridges connecting 24 locations over the country under Lao Defense Ministry for better management to ensure the national defense and security, or sponsoring the construction of two hospitals in Attapeu Province in Laos, supporting flood victims and providing computers and internet-connected devices for military units.