VIENTIANE (Laotian Times): The internet and social media landscape in Laos experienced significant growth in 2025, driven by faster internet speeds and increasing mobile phone adoption.
According to the State of Digital in Laos 2025 report, the country has 4.97 million internet users this year, with an internet penetration rate of 63.6 percent of the total population. However, 2.85 million people remained offline at the start of the year.
Mobile cellular connectivity also saw a substantial rise, with 6.78 million mobile connections, equivalent to 86.7 per cent of the population. Broadband networks, including 3G, 4G, and 5G, accounted for 95.1 per cent of these connections.
As a result, internet speeds in Laos improved significantly, with fixed broadband averaging 34.62 Mbps, a 17.8 per cent increase from the previous year.
The surge in internet access also fueled social media growth, with 4.25 million active users, representing 54.3 per cent of the population. Nearly all users accessed social media via mobile devices, with the majority falling within the 25 to 34 age group.
In terms of mobile web traffic, Android devices continued to dominate with a 68.7 per cent market share, although this marked a slight decline from the previous year. Meanwhile, Apple iOS devices gained traction, increasing to 31.14 per cent of total web traffic.
These digital advancements in Laos reflect broader global trends. Worldwide, internet users reached 5.56 billion in 2025, covering 67.9 per cent of the global population, while social media users surpassed 5.24 billion. - Laotian Times
