SMART to Invest More in High-Speed Mobile Internet Service in Cambodia

PHNOM PENH— Smart Axiata, a leading telecom operator in Cambodia, planned to invest another 75 million U.S. dollars in 2016 to keep rolling its 4G LTE network and mobile Internet infrastructure expansion nationwide, according to its press release on Friday.

The operator said it has completed the upgrade of 100 percent of its 2,000 base station sites with 3.75G.

Smart Axiata introduced 4G LTE, the fastest mobile Internet available technologically as of now, to Cambodia in 2014, the press release said, adding that in 2015, Smart invested more than 63 million U.S. dollars to expand its 4G network to all 25 provinces of Cambodia.

Currently, more than 40 percent of its base stations nationwide are equipped with 4G LTE already, and by end-2016, more than 50 percent of all base stations will offer 4G in addition to 2G and 3. 75G, it said.

Thomas Hundt, CEO of Smart, said that Cambodia has the exact same or even better 4G LTE that many Asian countries enjoy, but at a quarter of the price per gigabyte.

"While you need to spend 10 U.S. dollars in Singapore or 5 U.S. dollars in Thailand per 1 GB, with Smart you can get an amazing 1. 5 GB for just 1 U.S. dollar," he said.

"As a long-term investor in Cambodia, we will keep advancing our network and mobile Internet infrastructure," said Thomas.