Most mobile phone operators in Cambodia are now offering roaming tariffs, which depends on the country zone. It makes it easy for subscribers to know and control communication expenditures while in roaming. For example, while being abroad receiving an SMS is free and sending an SMS will cost 50 cents only, no matter in which country the subscriber actually is, receiving a call will cost only 1 USD per minute in most of the countries.

Mobile operators are keen to invest in Cambodia because they see a lot of potential for growth. With a mobile penetration rate of just 25 per cent, there are still many Cambodians who do not have phones and this provides a unique opportunity.

According to the government, the number of mobile phone users in Cambodia increased by nearly 15 per cent in 2008 reaching 3 million users by year’s end. The government expects to collect around $30 million in revenue in 2009 as a result of expanding domestic demand for mobile phone services. Collected revenue in 2008 was $28 million.

There are currently about 20,000 subscribers in Cambodia and some 150,000 people use Internet cafes. The number of users is expected to grow substantially over the coming decade, driven by greater competition in the marketplace, reduced tariffs and cost of PCs and laptops.

High connection costs have resulted in a low number of subscribers, but costs are coming down and today an average monthly subscription costs about $40 compared to $100 a year ago.

Cambodia suffers from a lack of IT human resources and very low Internet connectivity in rural areas. The lack of intranet infrastructure inhibiting 98 per cent of the Cambodian population from logging on remains a major problem.