Posts Tagged ‘Telecomunication industry’

Fibre-optic network links Cambodia

During the last decade, the telecommunications in Cambodia is growing including new coming mobile phone operators, internet service providers and other online services. Recently, the Cambodia’s government has made its efforts to push for the usage of telecommunications, particularly in public sector.

Recently, the fibre-optic telecommunications networking linking Cambodia with other Greater Mekong Sub-region countries in order to increase speed of communication began operation worth USD17.6 million.

It is a part of the GMS Information Superhighway project, the latest links were built by Chinese telecommunications equipment supplier Huawei Technologies for a total of USD17.6 million. And the links have a network capacity of 2.5 gigabytes per second.

The new 651-kilometre transaction line to Laos will speed up Cambodia’s communication by linking the country to a regional backbone already connecting Thailand, China, Vietnam and Laos.

The fibre-optic networking is stretching from Kampong Cham to the Laos border along National Raod 7, and from Skum city in Kampong Cham province to Siem Reap along National Road 6, work laying the new cable wrapped up in Jully 2009. (more…)

Banks launch sell down of $421m Mobitel loan

ANZ and Standard Bank launched the sell down of a US$421 million 18-month bridging loan this week, to back the Royal Group’s acquisition of Millicom’s majority stake in Mobitel.

The loan covers the Royal Group’s November purchase of Luxembourg-based Millicom International Cellular SA’s network operations in the Kingdom for $346 million. The acquisitions included a 58.4 percent holding in Mobitel, Royal Telecom International Co Ltd and Cambodia Broadcasting Service Co Ltd.

The debt-leveraged deal is thought to have given the Royal Group 100 percent ownership of Mobitel in an agreement lead-arranged by ANZ bank.

The loan also refinances debt, including a $100 million loan arranged by International Finance Corporation in 2008. (more…)

Would-Be Critics Quiet on Telecom Rates

Financial experts here say Cambodia’s political environment has prevented them from investigating the impact of a price floor on telecoms, one of the country’s most lucrative sectors.

By Sunday, all nine mobile phone companies had raised their per-minute rates to meet a standard cost mandated by the ministries of Finance and of Telecommunications, which they said was necessary to prevent a price war.

Costs for Cambodian consumers is now $0.05 to $0.06 per minute, a jump from some of the promotional offers of newer phone companies, some as low as nothing.

Analysts say the ministerial directive is contrary to the investment law and the policies of a free economy, but they are not willing to push further to learn how it might impact consumers and the market.

“If you speak against something, you will be considered as an attacker from an opposition party,” said Chan Sophal, head of the Cambodian Economic Association, an organization of 60 economists. “The bad environment makes these intellectuals not brave enough express themselves.” (more…)

Cambodia signs three MOUs with China

Official visit to Cambodia during three days, Chinese Vice-premier Hui Liangyu has signed three memorandums of understanding with Sok An, deputy Prime Minister and Ministers of Councils, on Thursday.

An agreement signed between the both countries is to encourage the investors from China to visit and focus more and more on Cambodia.

Ek Tha, deputy director of the Council of Ministers’ press department, was quoted by the Phnom Penh Post as saying that “the signing today between the Chinese and Cambodian government are another step in strengthening the two countries’ cooperation in all fields.”

Ek Tha added that Huawei Technologies, China’s largest private hi-tech enterprise, signed a cooperation agreement with the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications and Cambodian mobile-phone operator CamGSM

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