On 12 August 2022, the Ministry of Technologies and Communications ("MTC") issued the Decision on Management and Use of Internet Protocol Numbers No.2600/MTC ("Decision"). The Decision, which was published in the Lao Gazette Official on 24 August 2022, came into effect 45 days from the date of its issuance. The Decision states that legal entities or organisations intending to use an Internet Protocol Number ("IP number") must apply with the Asia Pacific Network Information Center ("APNIC") or through the National Internet Center and satisfy the following conditions:
- The applicant is an Internet service provider, government organisation, financial-banking department/agency, educational institution or information center that uses the internet with its own network;
- The applicant's technical standards comply with the requirements set by APNIC;
- There are elements of organisational structure within the applicant such as the presence of a general management person, technical person, and financial person; and
- Compliance with other conditions as may be prescribed by MTC.
A legal entity or organisation that intends to use the IP number from APNIC has two options to do so: (i) Channel 1: applicants will use IP numbers directly with APNIC; and (ii) Channel 2: applicants will use IP numbers through the National Internet Center (which is a partner with APNIC).
A legal entity or organisation that has received the right to use the number from APNIC must register to use the IP number correctly and completely with MTC within 15 days prior to using such IP number.
The State also encourages individuals, legal entities and organisations in both the public and private sectors to research, develop, transform and use the Internet Protocol Version 6 ("IPv6") instead of the Internet Protocol Version 4 (IPv4) in telecommunications networks, internet networks, hosting devices (Server, Cloud Computing, Hosting), software, internet code names, internet of things devices (IoT), Smart Home, Smart City and other technical systems related to their work and services to ensure the usage of IP numbers to expand their network and technical systems in the future.
The development plan for the use of IPv6 is divided into three phases: (i) Years 2021-2022: preparation phase; (ii) Years 2023-2024: implementation of the initial phase; and (iii) Year 2025 onwards: transition phase from IPv4 to IPv6.
