Thailand
New tariff plans to bring transparency for mobile users in Cambodia
All mobile network users in the Kingdom of Cambodia have been suggested to shift to new tariff plans as the service providers will gradually replace the current tariff plans with the new plans by February 28, 2023.
This has been announced by the Association of Telecommunication Operators in Cambodia (ATOC), which represents all mobile network operators in the Kingdom, in agreement with the Telecommunication Regulator of Cambodia.
The objective of new tariff plans is to provide better transparency to the users by assigning separate bundles of data (MB), talk time (minutes), and short messaging service (SMS). With separate bundles for the core services, mobile network customers can be aware of the availability of the amount of data, talk time and short messaging service.
The announcement of ATOC states that such a clear package distribution will allow customers a better understanding of the internet data, the number of minutes for calls, and the number of messages and letters that customers receive and actually use.
The ATOC has also advised mobile data consumers to go to the customer service branch of their mobile service providers for shifting to the new plan of their choice.
The ATOC notice, dated December 22, 2022, states, for those customers who could not shift to a new plan by February 28, 2023, their plans will be automatically changed by their respective mobile service providers.
In an announcement, Metfone Company said, “With the approval of the Telecommunication Regulator of Cambodia
and the Association of Telecommunication Operators in the Kingdom of Cambodia, it will phase out the current package for a new package by February 28, 2023.”
“Metfone will stop offering exchange money plan packages and would love to ask all customers to switch to a new plan instead, by enjoy with our new package ‘DATA Osja’ under which we have a weekly and monthly plan. According to the above explanation, if the customer does not make the change to the new plan before February 28, Metfone will automatically change the plan for customers,” it said.
Smart Axiata, which provides mobile and internet services, is offering customers plans like Smart good! “One” (5GB internet minutes and 500 minutes+500 text messages), Smart “Standard” (5GB internet for general use and 5GB more for Facebook, WeChat, Line and WhatsApp), Smart “Entertainment” (5GB internet for general use and 5GB more for watching YouTube, TikTok and listening to music on Pleng, and Smart “Games” (Get 5GB internet for general use and 5GB more for games like Mobile Legend Bang Bang, FreeFire and PUBG).
Liv Sophanarith, the spokesman of the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, told Khmer Times, “The plan to stop the use of mobile money exchange services has been implemented for a year, and the Ministry has informed all mobile operators,” about that.
“The new tariff plans are to enhance transparency about service charges both for the incoming and the outgoing calls, and to meet the concerns of consumers about mobile service providers in Cambodia,” Sophanarith added.
Meanwhile, Smart, Cellcard and Metfone have announced that they will stop using the money exchange service in their respective mobile phone systems on February 28, 2023. The termination of this project is in accordance with the ATOC and the goal of the Telecommunication Regulator of Cambodia.
The goal of the ATOC and the Telecommunication Regulator of Cambodia is to provide customers with greater transparency, with a clear division of internet data, talk time minutes and SMS in the system.
Smart, Cellcard, Metfone and other mobile service providers have also announced the closure of their mobile phone exchange services from March 1, 2023, as well. The phone companies have also asked customers to take advantage of new plans being provided by each company.
Meanwhile, the
Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications has issued a notification on mobile phone service, and internet service and announced measures to improve the quality of telecom services at a reasonable price and protect the consumers’ rights.
According to the announcement, since April 2020 the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications has launched an in-depth reform mechanism in all its subordinate units and at the Telecommunications Regulator of Cambodia.
These reforms include strengthening the capacity of civil servants, internal financial management and the efficiency and transparency of revenue and debt collection, developing digital technology, preparing relevant legal documents, and strengthening cooperation with development partners.
The Ministry has taken measures to protect the interests and rights of consumers and improving the quality of telecommunications services is a top priority to ensure that consumers receive quality and affordable services.
According to the notification of the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, protecting the interests and rights of consumers and improving the quality of telecommunications services is a top priority to ensure that consumers receive quality and affordable services. Although these efforts have been successful in many areas of the telecommunications sector, some areas have not yet improved, such as the quality of mobile and internet services.
The Ministry has also taken corrective measures to resolve these issues. As part of the measures, five regional working groups have been formed. They have been tasked to inspect, gather data and identify base stations as many operators have not provided such information, despite numerous requests.
Other eight working groups, formed by the ministry, will work towards improving the quality of services in Phnom Penh boreys, through terminating any exclusive agreements for Internet Service Providers (ISPs), it said.
The Kingdom currently has five mobile phone operators – Cellcard, Smart, Viettel, Cootel, and SeaTeland – and 38 internet service providers, according to the ministry data.
Cambodia has one of the highest mobile penetration rates in the world with 20.8 million mobile connections or 124 percent of the population. In addition, the country had more than 17.82 million internet subscribers as of October 2022; slightly down from 17.87 million users at the end of 2012, according to a report from the Telecommunication Regulator of Cambodia. Among the social media users, there are around 13.2 million people on Facebook and over 2 million Instagram users in the country.
Source: https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501217480/new-tariff-plans-to-bring-transparency-for-mobile-users-in-cambodia/