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Cambodia: Smart Axiata and Viettel raise mobile infrastructure
Smart Axiata last week started construction of a base transceiver station tower in Kampong Chhnang, a project that will widen the reach and increase the speed of mobile internet services in the Kingdom.
Viettel, a Vietnamese mobile operator and the owner of Metfone, launched a base station in the same province last week.
The two telecommunications facilities are being built as part of the companies’ responsibility towards the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USO Fund), which was established under the country’s telecommunications laws and require all telcos to contribute two percent of their gross revenue to reduce the digitisation gap between the cities and the rural areas.
Thomas Hundt, Smart Axiata’s CEO, said the construction of the infrastructure reflects the company’s commitment to the USO Funds and is part of its efforts to provide fast and modernised telecom services with affordable pricing in the Kingdom.
“The construction today is the starting point of our obligation in the framework of the USO to continue to expand our network coverage across the Kingdom, that which will help more Cambodians get access to mobile and internet services to participate in the digital age,” Mr Hundt said.
Tram Iv Tek, the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, said the project lays the foundation for the deployment of 3G and 4G services in the province.
He said the construction of the new tower is just one of many projects that will be carried out in a number of prioritised areas under the USO Fund strategy for 2017-2018. Apart from Kampong Chhnang, the prioritised areas are in Kandal, Preah Sihanouk and Koh Kong provinces.
“We do appreciate Smart Axiata’s strong commitment in its contribution towards the obligation for the development of the country’s mobile and internet services and in reducing the gap between the cities and the rural areas,” the minister said.
There were 8.5 million internet subscribers in Cambodia in 2017, an increase of 500,000 users compared to 2016, according to the Telecommunication Regulator of Cambodia.
More than 10.7 million SIM cards were connected to the internet in 2017, representing 67 percent of the country’s population and an increase of nearly 34 percent from 2016.
Source: https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50514420/smart-axiata-and-viettel-raise-mobile-infrastructure/