Despite its status as a lesser developed country, Cambodia’s efforts to expand and upgrade its telecom infrastructure are bearing fruit. There were between eight and ten mobile operators vigorously competing with each other in a market segment that was growing at a rapid rate. A process of rationalisation followed, reducing the number of operators to only six.
By 2019, compared to other Asian nations, Cambodia has very low fixed line and fixed-broadband penetration and low mobile broadband penetration.
The number of fixed telephone lines in Cambodia is slowly declining from a small base as the mobile segment continues to expand and fixed broadband penetration remains very low and under-developed.
The fixed broadband market remains highly under-developed in Cambodia. Over the past five years fixed broadband penetration has increased moderately from a very small base. Fixed broadband penetration is predicted to grow very strongly over the next five years from this very small base.
The Cambodia market is currently dominated with low-quality residential broadband services. SINET, a Cambodian ISP specialising in the business and enterprise sector, began to address this by announcing the rollout of a nationwide FttP network.
The mobile subscriber market peaked in 2015, however since then has seen penetration fall due to maturing market as well as market consolidation amongst the mobile operators and stricter implementation of laws regarding SIM card registration. Over the next five years to 2023 the market will move back to positive growth but at a relatively slow rate.
Cambodia is well on the way on preparing for the rollout of 5G services. Cambodia has entered into a deal with Huawei to roll out 5G mobile infrastructure.
Cambodia’s mobile broadband has grown sharply over the past five years from a small base driven by a mature mobile market. Strong growth is predicted over the next five years to 2023 but at a declining rate.
The mobile broadband market will be driven by increasingly faster speeds offered by the mobile operators as they further roll out their 4G networks and eventually launch 5G networks.
BuddeComm notes that the outbreak of the Coronavirus in 2020 is having a significant impact on production and supply chains globally. During the coming year the telecoms sector to various degrees is likely to experience a downturn in mobile device production, while it may also be difficult for network operators to manage workflows when maintaining and upgrading existing infrastructure. Overall progress towards 5G may be postponed or slowed down in some countries.
On the consumer side, spending on telecoms services and devices is under pressure from the financial effect of large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes. However, the crucial nature of telecom services, both for general communication as well as a tool for home-working, will offset such pressures. In many markets the net effect should be a steady though reduced increased in subscriber growth.
Although it is challenging to predict and interpret the long-term impacts of the crisis as it develops, these have been acknowledged in the industry forecasts contained in this report.
The report also covers the responses of the telecom operators as well as government agencies and regulators as they react to the crisis to ensure that citizens can continue to make optimum use of telecom ervices. This can be reflected in subsidy schemes and the promotion of tele-health and tele-education, among other solutions.
Key Developments:
Cambodia preps for 5G network rollouts;
SINET announces rollout of a nationwide FttP network.
Mobile broadband shows continued strong growth;
Fixed broadband gaining traction though from a low base;
Report update includes the regulator’s market data for 2019, Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, assessment of the global impact of COVID-19 on the telecoms sector, recent market developments.
Key statistics
Regional Market Comparison
Country overview
COVID-19 and its impact on the telecom sector
Economic considerations and responses
Mobile devices
Subscribers
Infrastructure
Telecommunications market
Market overview and analysis
Regulatory environment
Regulatory authority
Ministry of Posts & Telecommunications (MPTC)
Telecommunications Regulator of Cambodia (TRC)
New Draft Telecommunications Law
Agreement with Chinese Government
Fixed network operators
Telecom Cambodia
Viettel
Digi
Kingtel (Emaxx)
Telecommunications infrastructure
Overview of the national telecom network
Optical fibre networks
International infrastructure
Introduction
Satellite
Greater Mekong Subregion Information Superhighway (GMS-IS)
Cambodian-Vietnamese Super Highway Telecoms Network
Submarine cable
Fixed-line broadband market
Background
Broadband statistics
Fixed-line broadband technologies
Fibre networks
WiFi
WiMAX
Mobile market
Mobile statistics
Mobile broadband
Regulatory issues
Spectrum auctions
SIM Registration
Mobile infrastructure
5G
4G / LTE
Major mobile operators
Operator statistics
Smart Axiata
Metfone (Viettel)
CamGSM
CadComms (QB)
SEATEL
CooTel
Historic - Mfone (CamShin)
Historic - Smart Mobile
Historic - Beeline Cambodia (Sotelco)
Digital media
Broadcasting
Digital Economy
e-Education
Appendix – Historic data
Glossary of abbreviations
Related reports
List of Tables
Table 1 – Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities – Cambodia – 2020 (e)
Table 2 – Decline in the number of fixed telephone lines in service and penetration – 2010 – 2020
Table 3 – Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers and penetration – 2010 – 2025
Table 4 – Increase in internet household penetration – 2008 – 2020
Table 5 – Proportion of households with a computer– 2007 – 2020
Table 6 – Increase in international internet bandwidth – 2010 – 2018