Will My Vietnam SIM Work in Laos? Viettel, Mobifone & Vinaphone (2026)

First published 15 September 2023. Updated 6 November 2026: operator pages read and dated below.

The short answer

Yes, all three can roam in Laos, but only if international roaming is switched on before you leave Vietnam, and pay-per-use data is very expensive. Viettel and Mobifone sell Laos data packs; Vinaphone’s published Laos rate is 5,000 VND per MB. We read each operator’s own roaming page on 6 November 2026 (details below). A Laos eSIM installed in Vietnam avoids the registration and usually costs less than a roaming pack.

Viettel: roaming through Unitel

Viettel’s own guide to Laos roaming packs (dated 17 August 2026, read 6 November 2026) lists these, and Viettel notes that packs can change, so confirm in the My Viettel app before you buy:

Pack	Allowance	Validity	Price
IRU1 (Laos and Cambodia)	1 GB	1 day	25,000 VND
IRU3	3 GB (1 GB/day)	3 days	75,000 VND
IRU7	7 GB (1 GB/day)	7 days	175,000 VND
DRU1 (52 countries)	1 GB	1 day	50,000 VND
DRU3	3 GB (1 GB/day)	3 days	150,000 VND
DRU7	7 GB (1 GB/day)	7 days	350,000 VND
CR15 combo	3 GB, 10 SMS, 30 minutes of outgoing calls	15 days	199,000 VND
CR30 combo	5 GB, 50 SMS, 100 minutes of outgoing calls	30 days	450,000 VND

Viettel also lists ASEAN5 (2 GB, 5 days, 100,000 VND), ASEAN15 (5 GB, 15 days, 250,000 VND), IR15 (2 GB, 15 days, 99,000 VND) and larger DR packs up to DR30 (10 GB, 30 days, 1,100,000 VND). On IRU and DRU, Viettel says that after the high-speed data is used you stay connected at normal (reduced) speed. The IRU packs are the cheapest per gigabyte of the data packs listed. Viettel’s roaming page has a package picker (checked 6 November 2026) for other durations. Viettel also removed roaming charges between its Vietnam, Unitel (Laos) and Metfone (Cambodia) networks for calls from 1 January 2017, a 2017 report that predates the current packs.

Before you cross:

• Buy the Laos pack and enable roaming before you leave Vietnam, then confirm in the My Viettel app or with Viettel.
• If you are billed per megabyte rather than by a pack, a bill can grow quickly on maps, video and photo backups. Switch background updates off.
• If your phone does not join the Lao network by itself, choose the network manually in the mobile settings.

Mobifone: Laos border pack and flexible packs

Mobifone’s roaming page for Laos (checked 6 November 2026) lists, among others:

Pack	Data	Validity	Price
Roam Border RB1 (Laos, Cambodia)	2 GB roaming, plus 4 GB used in Vietnam	30 days	100,000 VND
Roam ASEAN RAS (8 countries)	5 GB	15 days	250,000 VND
Super Data RSD (74 countries)	15 GB	10 days	500,000 VND

Mobifone also lets you build a flexible roaming pack (1 to 30 days, 1 to 15 GB); we did not capture the price of that option. For the APN, Mobifone’s page says to set m-wap and switch data roaming on. The older Roam Like Home pack of September 2016 (250 MB a day for 50,000 VND) is superseded by these.

Vinaphone: pay-per-use rates, register first

VNPT’s Vinaphone roaming page lists Laos prepaid rates, including VAT (checked 6 November 2026):

Service in Laos	Rate
Data	5,000 VND per MB
Outgoing call, local Lao network	13,000 VND per minute
Call to Vietnam or elsewhere	28,000 VND per minute
Incoming call	12,000 VND per minute
Send an SMS	7,000 VND each; receiving is free

At 5,000 VND per MB, one gigabyte of pay-per-use data would cost about 5 million VND, so do not browse on those rates. The page says you must register for international roaming first (text “DK CVQT” or “IR ON” to 9123 from Vietnam, or through the MyVNPT app or digishop.vnpt.vn), and sets eligibility conditions such as a SIM at least 180 days old. We did not see a Laos data pack on the page we captured; ask Vinaphone whether one exists for your plan.

Airalo and other eSIM brands

Global eSIM apps such as Airalo sell Laos plans that you install before you travel, so they work without roaming. Prices and plans change often, so compare current prices rather than relying on an old figure. As with any data-only eSIM, there is no Lao phone number, which matters for apps that verify a local number.

The simple fix: a Laos eSIM

A data-only Laos eSIM runs on Unitel’s local network, and you can install it in Vietnam while on Wi-Fi, so it is ready at the border. Our current plans (as of 6 November 2026):

Plan	Price
10 GB / 10 days	$6.90
15 GB / 15 days	$7.90
30 GB / 15 days	$11.90
45 GB / 30 days	$13.90
60 GB / 30 days	$14.90

These are data only: no Lao number, calls or SMS, because Lao regulation requires in-person registration for a line with a number. When the data is used up, it stops; it is not throttled. See all plans on the Laos eSIM page.

If you want a local number, a Unitel tourist SIM is sold in person and requires a passport. See all current prices and plans on our Laos eSIM page.

One eSIM for the whole route

If your trip is Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, the Indochina eSIM covers all three on one profile, with 2 GB per day: 14 GB for 7 days ($14.90), 30 GB for 15 days ($17.90) or 60 GB for 30 days ($25.90). It does not include Thailand. If you only need Vietnam first, a Vietnam eSIM on the Viettel network works across the country, and you can switch to a Laos plan at the border.

Following the overland route? Read our guides on getting from Hanoi to Vientiane and the eSIM guide for the Hanoi to Luang Prabang route.