Asean nations eye faster internet connections
Asean nations eye faster internet connections
Businesses today require more advanced technology to meet the competitive challenges they face and it has become necessary for every country to develop its internet links to facilitate this.
In support of this, representatives from the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, ACTI and Asean Telecommunications and ICT Senior Officials are meeting in Vientiane yesterday and today to discuss wireless broadband and dynamic frequency allocation.
The objective of the workshop is to share experiences about wireless broadband solutions, generate enthusiasm for continuing progress and facilitate further trials and deployments of rural wireless broadband solutions in Asean member states.
The workshop is also an opportunity for Asean leaders to learn from regional experience although information on situations outside Asean is being examined as well.
On the agenda at the workshop are new methods for establishing and using high speed internet from within the region and around the world and new choices for rural wireless connection using the latest technology.
Participants will also discuss policies, regulations and study examples of institutions that regulate and support rural wireless broadband and review successful business examples, and should develop a better understanding of dynamic frequency allocation.
In the last 10 years the use of high speed internet has not grown as rapidly as expected but many developed countries have adopted it, Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy to Laos, Mr Michael Kleine, said at the workshop.
“As technology development has grown very quickly recently, especially in the field of ICT, the demand for rapid communication has also grown to match it, so it is necessary to develop internet linkages,” he added.
Internet speeds in Laos are slow compared to the rest of the region because the country rents its connections from neighbouring countries, mainly Thailand and Vietnam, and does not have a direct connection, said the Director General of the Communications Department, Mr Xayluxa Insisiengmay.
“One of the reasons for this is the rental fee charged by the suppliers. If we were to pay a lot more we would be able to get high speed connections but by paying less we have to work at a slower speed at the moment,” he said.
However, the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications will continue to develop its internet connections so they are faster, of higher quality and suitably priced for local users.
The workshop was organised by US-Asean Connectivity through Trade and Investment.
