First Lao-made mobile phones go on sale

First Lao-made mobile phones go on sale

Business Desk  Vientiane Times Publication Date : 27-12-2011

Mobile phone users can now buy the first-ever ‘made in Laos' units with the introduction of mobile phones made by the Oudomxay-based Ying Ze Lao Electronics Company. Shoppers try out the first "made in Laos" mobile phones at the opening of Ying Ze Lao in Vientiane. The company held a ceremony in Vientiane on Sunday to introduce the Ying Ze Lao brand name amid growing demand for communications equipment in the country. The mobile phone carries a Lao language application, making communication easier than at present. All imported mobile phones have English, Thai or Vietnamese applications. The installation of the Lao language application into cell phones is considered to be a milestone for the telecoms sector. Users can now send SMS in Lao, which also supports the authorities' attempts to promote the wider use of the national language. At present, mobile phone users have to send and receive SMS in English or Thai as imported phones do not have Lao language applications. This has been a major challenge for the authorities in encouraging the use of Lao in cell phone communications. The Ying Ze Lao product comes in various models ranging from a basic unit to models that have a touch screen and 3G, which enables users to access the Internet. The phones are also equipped with a radio, MP3 and camera. The Lao-made phones are much cheaper than imported models, ranging from just 200,000 kip to 500,000 kip (US$25 to $62). According to the Ying Ze Lao Electronics Company, the firm can manufacture about 20,000 units per year. The company expects to sell the phones to low and middle income earners, who make up most of the Lao population. The cell phone maker believes the products' low prices will boost sales, especially amid fierce competition in the marketplace, which offers a wide range of brand names ranging from Nokia to iPhone's smartphone. The price of a smartphone starts at more than 1 million kip ($125), which is well beyond the reach of low income earners. The government is promoting factories that manufacture non-resource based products, in a bid to maintain strong economic growth. At present, the main driving forces of the economy are hydropower and mining. The introduction of the Ying Ze Lao mobile phone marks a milestone in the Lao manufacturing sector.