Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng delivers a speech during his visit to Unitel’s headquarters. — Photos courtesy of Viettel

VIENTIANE — Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng has praised Star Telecom (Unitel), Viettel’s telecommunications brand in Laos, for its achievements over 17 years, describing it as a symbol of the special friendship and cooperation between Việt Nam and Laos.

He made the remarks during a visit to Unitel’s headquarters in Laos on October 9.

PM Hưng said Viettel had made significant contributions to Việt Nam’s development of science and technology, innovation and digital transformation, while also establishing successful overseas investment models. Unitel was a prominent example of the group’s investment in the Asia-Pacific region, he said.

“From an investment project, Unitel has become a symbol of friendship," the Prime Minister said.

"From a telecommunications company, it is developing into a leading digital transformation enterprise capable of accompanying the Lao Government in the country’s development." 

Unitel’s headquarter in Laos.

After 17 years in Laos, Unitel has become the country’s largest telecommunications operator and one of its largest budget contributors, earning recognition from the two countries as a model of economic cooperation.

The company has 3.6 million mobile subscribers, accounting for 57 per cent of the market, and 170,000 fibre-to-the-home broadband subscribers, representing a 60 per cent market share. Its e-wallet service, UMoney, has 900,000 users and leads the digital finance market. Unitel also provides digital services in television, music, education and healthcare.

Its network comprises more than 5,600 base stations and 43,000km of fibre-optic cable, covering all districts nationwide. Its 4G network reaches 90 per cent of the population, while it was the first operator to provide 5G coverage across all 18 provinces and cities.

Unitel reported revenue of US$154.6 million and profit of $44.3 million in 2025. Cumulative revenue exceeded $2.5 billion, with total profit reaching $931.5 million. In the first nine months of 2026, revenue stood at $142 million and profit at $39.2 million. Its contribution to the Lao state budget reached $33 million in 2025, bringing the cumulative total to $655 million.

The PM urged Unitel to maintain efficient and sustainable operations in full compliance with Lao law, increase its contributions to the local economy and state budget, and play a greater role in the country’s digital transformation.

He also called on the company to expand into emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing, digital finance, e-commerce and logistics, while strengthening the training of local employees so they could take on more senior roles.

Unitel should continue supporting education, healthcare, disadvantaged communities and remote areas, he said, stressing that its success should go hand in hand with the development of Laos and its people.

PM Hưng expressed confidence that Unitel would build on its 17-year track record to become a leading digital enterprise in Laos and a model of successful economic cooperation between the two countries.

Viettel Chairman and General Director Lieutenant General Tào Đức Thắng spoke at the event.

Viettel Chairman and General Director Lieutenant General Tào Đức Thắng said Laos was one of the group’s first overseas markets and an important place where generations of Viettel employees had gained experience and grown professionally.

Despite a relatively saturated telecommunications market, Unitel remained one of Viettel’s fastest-growing overseas operations, with revenue rising by about 30 per cent in the third quarter and first nine months of 2026, he said.

Thắng stressed that Unitel’s success should be measured not only by business performance but also by its contributions to Laos and its people, as well as its role in strengthening the special solidarity between the two countries.

He pledged that Viettel would fully implement the PM’s guidance and continue developing Unitel as a symbol of successful cooperation and friendship between Việt Nam and Laos. — VNS