Camshin, a Cambodian-Thai joint venture, is now offering Cambodians a new telephone

network using Wireless Local Loop (WLL) technology.

The project was launched earlier this month after Thailand's Shinawatra International

Co., Ltd., and Cambodia's Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications signed a 15-year

contract to jointly build and operate a domestic telephone network and other services.

The technological advantage of the telephone is that it is designed to be able to

work on a power supply system or 12-volt battery. The frequency is relayed or received

by a transmitter and a short antenna which currently have a range of ten kilometers.

Outgoing local calls will cost U.S. $0.15 each, whereas Camsh's rivals, SAMART and

CAMTEL charge U.S. $0.17 and US $0.20 per minute, respectively.

The company promises to provide a complete service for a total cost of U.S. $980,

which includes the U.S. $160 installation charge, U.S. $120 guarantee (or U.S. $10

monthly rental fee) and U.S. $700 deposit put on the apparatus, which will be returned

to users upon their request if they desire to stop the service.