Photo by: Sovann Philong

An employee uses his mobile phone at a Hello service centre in Phnom Penh. The mobile service provider has just started a roaming internet service for overseas users.

Hello web roaming

Cambodia, connecting with:

• Malaysia
• Singapore
• Indonesia
• Sri lanka
• Bangladesh

TELECOMS operator Hello GSM has launched the country's first unlimited roaming package to cut the cost of going online through a mobile when travelling outside Cambodia.

The Daily Unlimited Data Roaming Plan was launched late February and is aimed at the small segment of business and government travellers who travel move about   the region and wish to use the internet overseas.

Gary Foo, brand manager at Hello GSM, said the US$6-a-day package would help travelling clients to save money.

"I see more sophistication across our network for business travellers and customers who need to stay connected with their mobiles whenever they travel to another country because they need to get connected with mail and reports," he said. "With our regional strength, we are able to develop this subregion."

Hello GSM is a subsidiary of Telekom Malaysia, which operates in six countries, Foo said. Hello GSM's roaming plan will work in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Foo said the company did not expect to make much money from the plan, but its appearance would help to promote the brand, as well as provide a better service to its customers.

He said customers need to sign up for the service before leaving the country and activate roaming and GPRS services. If their usage amounts to less than $6 worth of data, they will only be charged for what they have used.

Ken Chanthan, president of the ICT Association of Cambodia, said operators ought to grow mobile internet and data-roaming services for the covenience of their customers.

"It will greatly help business transactions and service delivery if we can push more mobile-internet usage, as we have less telecoms infrastructure," he said, referring to the lack of fixed cabling in the country.

He said uptake would likely be limited to business people and government officials, as this package is relatively expensive and is not available in the Cambodian language.