PHNOM PENH, Dec 31 — Cambodia will launch fifth-generation (5G) mobile services starting January 1, 2026, said the Post and Telecommunications Ministry.
Xinhua reported that three major mobile phone operators: Cellcard (CamGSM), Metfone (Viettel Cambodia), and Smart (Smart Axiata), have built telecommunications antenna stations and installed 5G network equipment at key locations.
"In the celebration of the New Year, the users of the three mobile operators will be able to start using 5G services from 00:01 am on January 1, 2026, onwards," it said in a media statement today.
In the first phase, the 5G services would be available in the capital Phnom Penh and some key areas in Siem Reap, Kandal, Svay Rieng, Kampong Speu, Takeo, Kampong Cham, Kampong Thom, Prey Veng, Kratie, Kampong Chhnang, Pursat, Preah Sihanouk, Stung Treng, and Kampot.
The ministry added that in the following phases, the 5G services would be expanded to other provinces across the Southeast Asian country.
"The 5G services will make a significant contribution to promoting digital transformation in the economy and society, providing principal advantages such as faster Internet speeds than 4G, multiple simultaneous connections, low latency, and improved efficiency in the provision of digital public services.
"The 5G services are not just a high-speed Internet, but a digital infrastructure for Cambodia's digital future, innovation, and new opportunities," it said.
The ministry estimates that there are about 19.6 million Internet subscribers and roughly 20.6 million mobile phone users.
The number of Internet subscribers and mobile phone users surpassed the nation's total population of 17 million because some individuals subscribed to multiple Internet or telephone services.
