Brian Badzmierowski
Alibaba Cloud has officially launched in Cambodia as the Chinese e-commerce and tech giant hopes to make its mark on a rapidly growing industry in the Kingdom.
To gain a foothold in Cambodia Alibaba formed a partnership with MDP, a Cambodian IT consulting firm, and Solutions for Asia, a tech firm focused on cybersecurity headquartered in Singapore.
Cloud services are typically defined as infrastructure, platforms, or software that are hosted by third-party providers and made available to users through the internet.
During the company’s kickoff webinar, Ainsley Jong, the executive director of Solutions for Asia said cloud services will become increasingly important as Cambodia leans into digitalization across all sectors.
“The importance of cloud is on the rise and now society is fast becoming more and more reliant on this technology. Even before Covid-19, the world had already been moving quickly towards revolving around tablets and smartphones, whether you are an individual, a small business, or a large multinational, you rely on cloud systems every day,” he said.
To read more about other cloud services in Cambodia click here.
Pily Wong, MDP’s CEO, added that the pandemic has sped up the digitalization process and cloud technology is a main piece of the puzzle moving forward in this rapid development.
“In the last two years, while the world was battling the pandemic evolutions of business took a giant leap towards digitalization. Brick and mortar businesses suffered lockdowns and disruptions while digitally-savvy enterprises increased their market share exponentially,” he said.
“Digital transformation is accelerating and the world now needs to adapt to life in a cyber-ecosystem. It’s time for Cambodia and its people to embark on this digitalization journey for our survival and our future progress.”
As the panel gathered virtually they all agreed, cybersecurity and compliance with regulations are essential components that must accompany the accelerated growth of cloud technologies in the country.
Alibaba representatives at the meeting touted the company’s credentials in this regard and said the service offered premium quality technology at fair prices.
The importance of cloud services in Cambodia
Cloud services enable companies to store and manage data remotely without any physical structure and in the age of digitalization, they are essential for most businesses with an online presence.
Financial apps use cloud data to verify identities, make transfers, and secure accounts. Retailers use cloud data to manage stock and handle logistics, and developers use it to design infrastructure according to predicted scenarios.
In one of the more interesting displays of the power Alibaba’s Cloud services, Yang Kan, the regional manager for Alibaba Cloud Data Intelligence Business, presented examples of how its technology can improve business operations and large-scale infrastructure projects.
To read more about FinTech in Cambodia click here.
With one real world example, Alibaba Cloud services were used to create real-time 3D models of a shopping mall, recording and tracking live foot traffic to give companies clear data to use when making decisions.
Kan showed how the advanced tech powers Hong Kong International Airport, with data from planes, control towers, weather centers, and terminals all interlinking to help create a seamless operation.
In Hangzhou, Alibaba Cloud services used artificial intelligence to map out an entire smart city. To keep traffic moving smoothly, data is analyzed in real-time to instantly change the duration of traffic lights to accommodate different traffic patterns.
The cloud service landscape in Cambodia
While Cambodia isn’t there yet, the Industrial Revolution 4.0, the Internet of Things, the 5G network, and digitalization are all hot topics that have been brought to the fore after the pandemic forced many businesses to think digital.
The company is also keen on achieving environmental, social, and corporate governance goals, including going completely carbon-free before 2030. Run said the company also works to promote the sustainable development of all companies that use its services.
The cloud service space is still in its early stages in Cambodia, with Huawei becoming the first and only cloud service provider to be authorized by the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications last September.
