Lao Telecom is one of the networks your eSIM may use in Laos. Here is who actually decides which network you get, and what to do with that.
Quick answer
Lao Telecom is a mobile network operator in Laos, and one of the networks a travel eSIM may reach through roaming.
| Item | Lao Telecom (Laotel) |
|---|---|
| LTE (4G) | B1, B3, B8 |
| 5G NR | Not verified |
| 5G launched | Live |
| Network code (MCC-MNC) | 457-01 |
Checked against the sources on 2026-10-12. Only the bands a source confirmed are listed; the network may run others too.
An eSIM can only use Lao Telecom (Laotel) if your phone supports at least one band in this table. Before you fly, open your model's spec page on the maker's site and compare its LTE and 5G band lists.
From the supplier record behind each package, 48 of the 57 plans we currently sell for Laos declare Lao Telecom as a network the profile can reach, at 4G and 5G. The figure comes from the same catalogue that prices the plan pages, and it moves when the supplier revises the record.
| Network | LTE bands | 5G bands |
|---|---|---|
| Lao Telecom | B1, B3, B8 | Not verified |
| Unitel | B1, B3, B8 | Not verified |
A band shared across networks is one a single phone can use on all of them.
Nearly every travel eSIM is a roaming product: the profile picks a network by an order the supplier sets, not by the buyer. If Lao Telecom is weak where you are, try selecting Unitel manually in the network settings, and keep data roaming on for the eSIM profile.
48 of our plans name Lao Telecom as reachable, but that is not a guarantee. Travel plans run over roaming agreements, so the network depends on the supplier behind the plan, your device and where you are.
At least one of these, LTE: B1, B3, B8. Your phone's band list is on the maker's spec page for your model, under "Cellular" or "Network".
Yes. Lao Telecom (Laotel) has run commercial 5G. A travel plan only gets it when the plan permits 5G, your phone supports one of those bands, and you are inside 5G coverage. Miss any one and you fall back to 4G.
Check the carrier name at the top of the screen, or open the mobile-network settings and look at the operator list. If signal is poor, try selecting a network manually instead of automatic, but only one your plan actually supports.
Bob Kanokphon Thongdee
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Ranked by our value score. Each plan page lists the networks its supplier declares.
14 countries · partner networks
Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand
Validity starts on first connection at the destination
8 countries · partner networks
Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste
Validity starts on first connection at the destination
14 countries · partner networks
Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand
Validity starts on first connection at the destination
14 countries · partner networks
Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand
Validity starts on first connection at the destination
8 countries · partner networks
Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste
Validity starts on first connection at the destination
8 countries · partner networks
Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste
Validity starts on first connection at the destination
