Telephones - fixed lines:
total subscriptions: 1,266,605
[see also: Telephones - fixed lines - total subscriptions country ranks ]
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 18 (July 2016 est.)
[see also: Telephones - fixed lines - subscriptions per 100 inhabitants country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 70

Telephones - mobile cellular:
total: 3.727 million
[see also: Telephones - mobile cellular - total country ranks ]
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 54 (July 2016 est.)
[see also: Telephones - mobile cellular - subscriptions per 100 inhabitants country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 130

Telephone system:
general assessment: service to public is generally improving; the government relies on a radiotelephone network to communicate with remote areas
domestic: mobile cellular network coverage including 3G is relatively widespread, although usage has slowed as the regulator imposed a strict policy on pricing and competition is effectively discouraged; network performance has suffered because of insufficient maintenance and upgrades
international: country code - 856; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region) and a second to be developed by China (2017)

Broadcast media:
6 TV stations operating out of Vientiane - 3 government-operated and the others commercial; 17 provincial stations operating with nearly all programming relayed via satellite from the government-operated stations in Vientiane; Chinese and Vietnamese programming relayed via satellite from Lao National TV; broadcasts available from stations in Thailand and Vietnam in border areas; multi-channel satellite and cable TV systems provide access to a wide range of foreign stations; state-controlled radio with state-operated Lao National Radio (LNR) broadcasting on 5 frequencies - 1 AM, 1 SW, and 3 FM; LNR's AM and FM programs are relayed via satellite constituting a large part of the programming schedules of the provincial radio stations; Thai radio broadcasts available in border areas and transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are also accessible (2012)

Internet country code:
.la

Internet users:
total: 1.258 million
[see also: Internet users - total country ranks ]
percent of population: 18.2% (July 2016 est.)
[see also: Internet users - percent of population country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 130