Cambodia leapfrogs to 3G

Unlimited data at 1.6Mbps costs just $35 a month, writes Don Sambandaraksa in Phnom Penh

John Kjellemo, CEO Morten Eriksen and CMO Are Mathisen are a group of ex-Telenor guys trying to become Cambodia's No. 2 telco by leapfrogging decades of developing and hitting the market with advanced 3G services from day one.

Think of 3G and advanced mobile data services such as streaming television and high speed broadband replacement, one of the last countries that comes to mind is Cambodia. But the kingdom's new QB network is promising to deliver these advanced services to a public that has no traditional alternative so to speak, and by doing so leapfrog the competition and bypass a decade of development.

Continued at the Bangkok Post

CadComms becomes Cambodia's fifth cellco

Cambodia Advance Communications (CadComms) has launched 3G W-CDMA services under the brand name QB (cube), reports the Bangkok Post. The network opened with 57,000 subscribers thanks to a launch day concert and free SIM packages. The price for unlimited data for personal use is USD35 a month or USD30 for students. The network has been tested to deliver up to 7.2Mbps but the current speed offered commercially is 1.6Mbps. CadComms' launch marks the arrival of the fifth cellco in Cambodia, but CEO Morten Ericksen said that the company aims to overtake the fourth placed operator within the next two weeks. By the end of 2009 he hopes CadComms will be profitable and Cambodia's number two wireless operator by subscribers.

Source: Telegeography.com

I was in Phnom Penh recently and was struck by how rapidly telecom in general (and just about everything else) seems to be developing. Amazing what can be accomplished when you don't have CAT and AIS bottlenecks.

When I first went there in "92 Aus-Tel had knocked up the telephone system(aussi tel company)and it cost me @ $ 8 US a minute to call back to the smoke (UK) with a minimum spend of 50 Bucks.......just to make a call.....Jesu..c.....if you managed to get a connection....still cost you.....

For the previous 20 odd years the country was of course effectly "shut for business"...last man had switched off the light......in 75

Shortly afterways however came Mr Ts Shina Corp with his wee Sat setup which helped and now Kampuchea is going 3 G....well done ......good for "em

When I first went there in "92 Aus-Tel had knocked up the telephone system(aussi tel company)and it cost me @ $ 8 US a minute to call back to the smoke (UK) with a minimum spend of 50 Bucks.......just to make a call.....Jesu..c.....if you managed to get a connection....still cost you.....

For the previous 20 odd years the country was of course effectly "shut for business"...last man had switched off the light......in 75

Shortly afterways however came Mr Ts Shina Corp with his wee Sat setup which helped and now Kampuchea is going 3 G....well done ......good for "em

Yeah, and his name was Pol Pot.

He seems to have switched off the light for around 1 million folks as I recall.

He & his cronies renamed it "kampuchea".. It's back to Cambodia now, except if you're Vietnamese. ( and you know how well liked they are there...)