I have to spend some time in Laos, I have been researching broad band around Vientiane. I plan on using Planet Online as my main one, the 256Kbps - 2048Kbps* 20GB a month package. What speeds do you really get? And then back that up with a ADSL2+ line from ETL.

Does any one have any experience with Planet Online, reliability and real speeds international? How are they in rain? I under stand that all net up there is satellite from the base station.

Thanks

http://www.planet.laopdr.com/index1.html

PS, I know this is Thailand, but I also know this is a very good forum and someone might know exactly what it is like.

Edited June 6, 200917 yr by goofie

I haven't had experience with the particular company you want to use. I have noticed in general satelite connections in Laos are slow, unreliable and expensive. Sorry if this doesn't help but I wouldn't expect too much. You might consider getting a phone that has edge, a number of telecoms offer this now but the only one I can think of off hand is Tigo. Though expect the signal to go in and out all the time. I am not in Vientiane so your results may vary.

Just been through their website, and it seems that the connection you'll get is not satellite, but rather Wimax. They are talking about a direct radio link between your home and their office.

So normally you will not have the drawbacks of satellite (generally high ping times).

As to how the actual speed will be, will depend on what the main pipe is they have and how heavy they share it, but the way they advertise is that the 256kbps is pretty much guaranteed, with possible top end speeds at 2 Mbps.

Hi Monty,

The Wimax base station is on top of the big high rise hotel on the Mekong, it has about a 20km range, then it’s a satlink up and down. ETL offer ADSL2+ (unlimited but shaped after xyz Gigs), this to is then up/down via Satellite.

Out side Vientiane it is overall very slow, the general consciences is Plant Online is by far the fasted, but I don’t know how fast the actually go and how reliably they really are.

I still wouldn't expect technological miracles to be the norm in Laos. I hope it works for you however. You could try the CDMA 3G China has set up in Laos as well. Mphone advertises this service a lot but I don't know how good it is.