Cambodia Investment Review
Smart Axiata, Cambodia’s leading telecommunications company and national pioneer of mobile technology and digital lifestyle offerings, is poised to solidify its position as the Kingdom’s most reliable network provider, with various infrastructure projects expected to elevate the quality of the Smart network to new heights.
The company has been making significant investments in network infrastructure to improve connectivity and support its customers’ modern lifestyles. Under the direction of the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications (“MPTC”) and the Telecommunication Regulator of Cambodia (“TRC”), Smart is collaborating with Huawei towards enhancing its network quality by adding 357 more base stations across Phnom Penh city, including 70 base stations that will serve 65 Boreys.
One of the most successful pilot projects completed thus far was in Borey Peng Huoth Boeung Snor, where the service quality has been improved with the overall satisfaction from the resident up to 70%.
Additionally, the company is working to expand the coverage capacity of each tower based on the demand and population in each area where the stations are based in order to meet customer demands, especially in the highly populated areas.
Drastically enhancing its network coverage
The company is also drastically enhancing its network coverage in various locations across the Kingdom of Cambodia. Five base stations have already been commissioned along the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway, and 18 more sites will be commissioned when the towers are erected along the highway soon. Additional base stations are completed for numerous development areas, too, such as the Run Ta Ek Eco Village in Siem Reap province, where two new base stations have recently been built, to maintain the quality of service and digital communication.
Elsewhere, Smart has on-aired four more base stations in the Angkor Wat area complex to provide the best possible experience to tourists, particularly timely deployments with Angkor Sangkran and Khmer New Year celebrations soon to take place. In preparation for the fast-approaching 2023 Southeast Asian Games and Para Games, 14 base stations, including one temporary tower, have been added at competition venues. Three more base stations are slated and pipelined to be deployed before the event takes place in May.
Smart CEO Ziad Shatara said, “At Smart, we have always put customers at the core of our business. We understand that they rely on us to stay connected, and that is why we are committed to providing them with the best possible experiences through our products and services, investing in the latest technology to maintain and upgrade our infrastructure. We are constantly striving to improve our network quality, as we believe that a strong network is the foundation for a better-connected future for Cambodia.”
Year-on-year increases in investments
Smart’s dedication to providing the fastest, most affordable, and most widely available mobile broadband network in the country is evident in the year-on-year increases in investments aimed at expanding its network infrastructure. These investments also support the Royal Government of Cambodia’s Digital Economy and Society Policy Framework 2021-2035.
In 2021 alone, the company’s capital expenditure stood at 81 million USD. The company also annually contributes 2% of its revenue to the Universal Service Obligation Fund, which aims to provide access to quality and affordable mobile and digital services in remote areas of the country.
With support from the Universal Service Obligation Fund, the company has set up base stations in 388 villages across Cambodia to provide services to thousands of residents.
