Just received the following from a friend in Vientiane. Hopefully, this'll go the way it did here in Thailand, registration required, then dropped, and anyone can buy a SIM for baht 50 +- all over the place.

Mac

We would like to remind you that all the prepaid SIM CARDs of all companies need to be registered before the end of this month (April) otherwise you will not be able to use your phone number after the April 2012.

For Beeline or Tigo number you can register from your mobile phone by sending the message to the company or call the call center 123 to register.

Here is the procedure for sending the message:

Please make sure that you always leave one space between each information you type

• type your full name (name and last name)
  
• type your DOB
  
• name of your country
  
• name of the village you are living now
  
• name of the city
  
• name of the province
  
• passport number
  
• issued date for the passport
  
• expiry date for the passport
  
• send your message to 2012
  
• the company will call to confirm your registration if not successful you will receive a messag
  

If the above procedure is not working well you can call 123 to register it yourself but you still need the information above because they will ask you for it.

For ETL you can call 135 (call center) to register your number and you may need the same information above

I don't think it will work, like so many things over here. I don't know anyone who has registered yet. I'm going to wait and see what happens next month.

Hope so!! I have two, and M-Phone & an , if one happen,s to have expired when I arrive, I just pick up a new one. The M-Phone seems to last longer without refill when I'm back in Thailand. The ETL may expire between trips to Laos, but I do like it, better coverage upcountry.

Mac

Just as I thought, no change. I didn't register either my Tigo, M-Phone or Unitel SIM's and they are all running as normal.

No change, good to know, thanks.

Mac