The mobile and fixed broadband internet subscribers in Cambodia rose to 17.7 million as of March this year, surpassing its 16-million population mark, as the government highlights the development of the digital economy.
The report from the Telecommunication Regulator of Cambodia showed that the internet subscribers increased significantly from 16.1 million in 2019, a year before the pandemic, reflecting the strong growth in e-commerce, fintech, and education technology.
The number of mobile phone subscribers was 19.4 million as of March, a half million decrease from the subscribers in 2021.
Surfing the internet is increasingly becoming an essential need of the people, which is the foundation for developing the digital economy and digital society in Cambodia, said Chhin Ken, president of the Cambodia Digital Tech Association.
“More people in Cambodia have access to the internet which they use in their daily activities,” Ken said.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, customer demand for online purchases has increased dramatically, pushing a strong growth in e-commerce, and fintech.
Cambodia reported that the market value of e-commerce increased to $970 million last year, up 19 percent from $813 million a year earlier.
According to the National Bank of Cambodia, the Kingdom recorded a total of 13.6 million mobile payment users in 2021, up 42 percent from 9.56 million in 2020, indicating that there are 69 financial institutions providing mobile payment services in the Kingdom.
To facilitate e-payment, 29 banking and financial institutions successfully launched a trial run for the KHQR code payment service for goods with roughly 230,000 merchant stores across the country.
KHQR is a universal quick response code system created for retail payments in the country.
The government has a strategy to strengthen and expand mobile infrastructure and high-speed Internet through 4th generation mobile services (4G) and also to lay the foundation for the 5th generation mobile services (5G).
The Kingdom had announced the implementation of its ‘Digital Economy and Social Policy Framework of Cambodia 2021-2035’, identifying the digital sector as a new model of economic growth, responsive and resilient to changes in economic structure, developments and international trade.
There are 45 telecommunication providers in Cambodia and five of them are mobile service providers – Smart, Cellcard, Viettel, Cootel and SeaTel.
The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunication yesterday called on mobile service companies to increase mobile service and install more mobile service antennas to provide quality service to users.
This article was first published in Khmer Times. All contents and images are copyright to their respective owners and sources.
