Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - More investors plug in to Kingdom’s online growth

More investors plug in to Kingdom’s online growth

People surf the internet at a cafe in Phnom Penh late last year.
People surf the internet at a cafe in Phnom Penh late last year. Hong Menea

More investors plug in to Kingdom’s online growth

Cambodia's fixed-line internet services market continues to attract new players despite limited infrastructure and a crowded playing field, new data show.

The Telecommunication Regulator of Cambodia (TRC) issued four licences to new internet service providers (ISPs) and two to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) providers since the start of the year, bringing the total number of ISPs and VoIP operators to 33 and 18, respectively.

Im Vutha, director of the TRC’s regulation and dispute unit, said the new entries to the market show that it is still attractive to investors as many areas of the country are poorly served by existing infrastructure.

“There is still room for customer growth in the market and with increased investment, the user base could expand in remote areas where there is limited internet access,” he said yesterday.

Internet use continues to grow steadily, with the number of fixed-line subscriptions reaching 88,000 as of end-June, a 15 per cent year-on-year increase. However, the growth is greatly overshadowed by mobile internet, with more than 7 million mobile phone subscribers currently having access to the internet through their phone handsets, according to TRC data.

Keuk Meng Leang, director of ISP Maximum Business Information Technology (MaxBIT), said the popularity of internet services such as social media and online shopping could incentivise investors to expand fixed-line networks to reach a wider customer base.

“We have seen the popularity of e-commerce and social media in Cambodia, especially amongst younger generations,” he said.

Leang said opportunities lie in the relatively low quality of internet services compared to neighbouring countries.

“This provides investors with an opportunity to bring better technology to the market,” he said.

In addition to granting new licences, the TRC also revoked eight ISP and three VoIP licences since the start of the year after their operators failed to meet their contractual obligations, according to Vutha.

MOST VIEWED

  • 12th Cambodia int’l film festival to see return of Hollywood star

    Phnom Penh is set to come alive with the magic of cinema as the highly anticipated 12th Cambodia International Film Festival (CIFF) takes centre stage. Boasting an impressive line-up of 188 films from 23 countries, including captivating shorts, feature films, documentaries and animation, the festival promises an

  • Bareknuckle champion wants Kun Khmer fighter

    Dave Leduc, who is the current openweight Lethwei boxing champion in Myanmar, has announced that he will travel to Cambodia this year to challenge SEA Games gold medallist Prum Samnang any time that is convenient, after their planned match later this month in Slovakia was

  • Struggling Battambang artist dreams of staging full-scale gallery exhibition

    Leav Kimchhoth, a 55-year-old artist from Battambang province, is a familiar face to locals and tourists alike on the streets of the riverside in Phnom Penh. The one-armed painter and illustrator often hawks his work near the night market on weekends and public holidays. He

  • Fresh Covid warnings as Thai hospital fills

    A senior health official reminds the public to remain vigilant, as neighbouring countries experience an increase in Covid-19 cases, with the latest surge appearing to be a result of the Omicron XBB.1.5 sub-variant. Or Vandine, secretary of state and spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health,

  • 1.4 billion dollar Phnom Penh-Bavet expressway due in four years

    The Government, through the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, has officially signed a public-private partnership agreement with a private company for the construction of a Phnom Penh-Bavet Expressway project that will connect the capital to Svay Rieng province. The budget for the project is

  • New Law on Taxation comes into effect

    Cambodia has enacted the eagerly-awaited new Law on Taxation, which aims to improve the national tax regime’s compliance with present and future international standards and economic conditions; encourage accountability, effectiveness and transparency in the collection process; and promote investment in the Kingdom. King Norodom