Reuters is reporting that state-owned Lao Telecommunications Company (LTC) has launched the nation’s first commercial 3G service in the capital Vientiane. LTC plans to expand the service to other regions in 2009, and is aiming to have signed up 30,000 3G subscribers by the end of 2008, rising to 100,000 by the end of the following year. The operator has also revealed that it will target the youth and business markets. According to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms database, LTC is the largest cellco by subscribers in Laos, claiming 59.05% market share at the end of June 2008, followed by rivals Enterprise de Telecommunications Lao (ETL), Millicom Lao and Lao Asia Telecommunication State Enterprise which each had 29%, 11.67% and 0.28% respectively. http://www.telegeography.com/cu/article.php?article_id=25657&email=html