Cambodia sees internet, mobile phone subscriptions surpass population

• Feb 28, 2023

The mobile broadband internet subscribers in Cambodia surpassed the country’s 16 million population mark, as the government highlights the development of the digital economy.

The mobile phone subscribers in Cambodia rose to 19.5 million as of November last year, decreased from 21.7 million in 2019, the pre-pandemic times, which shed away foreign tourists from the country, the Telecommunication Regulator of Cambodia’s report said.

The internet subscriptions were registered at 17.2 million as of November, increasing from 16.1 million recorded in 2019.

Cambodia Digital Tech Association president Chhin Ken said that almost all Cambodian people have smartphones, which led to a rise in the use of the internet, and it is mostly used for surfing social networks.

“The high number of internet users showed how fast the Cambodians were embracing technology, as the trend of using smartphones for studies, shopping and social networks is increasing,”
Ken said.

The government has a strategy to strengthen and expand mobile infrastructure and high-speed internet through 4th generation mobile services (4G) and to lay the foundation for the 5th generation mobile services (5G).

Noting the significant surge in the use of digital technology in Cambodia, Prime Minister Hun Sen has asked local telecommunication companies to strengthen mobile phone signal and internet services in both urban and rural areas.

The usage of digital devices, e-commerce transactions during the pandemic period, and financial technology have boosted the use of the internet and mobile services, he said.

“Everything has moved online, even a taxi service. The pandemic crisis has created opportunities for Cambodia to maximise the benefits of digitalisation,” the Premier said.

The internet and mobile usage have provided remarkable growth for mobile payment in Cambodia during the Covid-19 pandemic, said the National Bank of Cambodia governor Chea Chanto said in January.

“Since the Covid-19 crisis, online trading has grown rapidly and electronic payment methods have become increasingly popular across the country,” he said.

Source: https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501246252/cambodia-sees-internet-mobile-phone-subscriptions-surpass-population/