Cambodia Telecom MNO Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends And Forecast (2025 - 2030)

Cambodia Telecom MNO Market Trends and Insights

Rapid Mobile-Data Consumption Growth Fueled by Affordable Smartphones

Average monthly data usage reached 15.9 GB per subscriber in 2024 and is projected to surpass 30 GB by 2025, a surge anchored in smartphone penetration of 121% and 4G-handset prices falling below USD 100. Video streaming and social-commerce apps now account for 70% of traffic, prompting operators to expand capacity via 4.5G upgrades before 5G spectrum becomes commercially available. ^{[2]Phnom Penh Post Staff, “Cambodia’s Top Three Telcos Dominate,” phnompenhpost.com}Data-centric users generate 3-4 times higher ARPU than voice-centric subscribers, so network investments are increasingly correlated with revenue upside. The flip side is congestion risk; urban cells already experience peak-hour slowdowns that can trigger churn toward rivals with more robust capacity management, heightening competitive tension across the Cambodia telecom MNO market. 

Expansion of 4G LTE Coverage and Imminent 5G Licensing

4G networks now cover 82% of the population, yet 20% of Cambodians still rely on 2G/3G, mainly in cost-heavy rural areas. ^{[3]Kiripost Newsroom, “4G Coverage & Rural Challenges,” kiripost.com} The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications has allocated 100 MHz in the 3.5 GHz band for 5G services with mandatory rollout milestones to prevent spectrum hoarding. Cellcard trials have already achieved 1.6 Gbps, while Smart Axiata earmarked more than USD 90 million for network upgrades aligned with the June 2025 launch targets. Regulatory insistence on coverage obligations is expected to compress deployment timelines and push operators to differentiate on quality rather than price, an outcome that should nudge the Cambodia telecom MNO market toward healthier ARPU profiles over the medium term. 

Rising Enterprise Demand for Cloud and IoT Connectivity

Enterprise connections are outperforming the mass market as manufacturers and logistics providers require low-latency links for automation and cross-border trade. Partnerships such as XL Axiata–Cisco’s IoT Connectivity+ platform showcase the tailored solutions operators are rolling out for industrial customers. The Digital Economy and Society Policy Framework 2021-2035 provides tax incentives and regulatory clarity that fuel this shift, while security upgrades like Smart Axiata’s next-gen firewall reassure enterprises prioritizing data protection. 

Government Digital-Economy Initiatives (Telecom/ICT Policy 2020-30)

The Royal Government’s Digital Economy and Society Policy Framework aims to train 100,000 digitally literate citizens and transition all public services to online platforms by 2035. Bakong, the state-backed digital-payment system, already supports 8.5 million accounts, creating direct transaction-volume upside for operators integrating mobile money services. Public-private partnerships outlined in the framework de-risk rural infrastructure builds and make co-investment viable, an essential lever for sustained expansion of the Cambodia telecom MNO market. 

Intense Price Competition Eroding ARPU

Despite mobile connections representing 143% of Cambodia’s population, operators continue heavy price promotions that keep data tariffs among the world’s lowest. Metfone’s extensive rural footprint, financed by Viettel’s USD 840 million outlay, positions it as price leader, while Smart Axiata competes on superior speeds, posting a median 33.74 Mbps download rate. High price elasticity means consumers readily switch for marginal savings, curbing ARPU gains and pushing the Cambodia telecom MNO market toward revenue stagnation unless differentiation shifts to quality and bundled digital services. 

High Rural Deployment Cost vs. Low Income Base

Base-station investments in sparsely populated provinces often serve fewer than 500 potential users, far below the 2,000+ threshold for commercial viability. ^{[4]UN-OHRLLS Secretariat, “Telecom Infrastructure in LDCs,” unohrlls.org}Right-of-way approvals can stretch 6-12 months, adding informal fees that inflate capital costs. Rural households earn 40-50% less disposable income than their urban counterparts, suppressing ARPU even where coverage exists. Tower-sharing deals like Edotco’s acquisition of 325 sites help dilute costs, yet the economics remain challenging, limiting full-scale rural expansion of the Cambodia telecom MNO market.

Segment Analysis

By Service Type: Data Services Drive Revenue Transformation

Data and internet services generated the largest 50.81% share of 2024 telecom revenue within the Cambodia telecom MNO market. Social-media usage is pervasive, Facebook serves 11.65 million Cambodian users, while TikTok’s audience rose 41% to almost 10 million adult users, fueling the bandwidth surge that underpins data-plan monetization. Fixed data, though smaller in absolute numbers, shows the fastest growth, closely tied to work-from-home habits and enterprise cloud migration. 

IoT and M2M services, projected to grow at a 4.74% CAGR to 2030, are emerging from a low base as manufacturers deploy machine-to-machine links for supply-chain visibility in special economic zones. Operators increasingly bundle OTT video and Pay-TV with mobile wallets to deepen engagement and protect ARPU, an approach that aligns with Bakong’s payment rails and boosts stickiness across the Cambodia telecom MNO market.

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

By End-User: Enterprise Segment Accelerates Digital Adoption

Consumer services retained the largest 88.09% slice of 2024 revenue, yet enterprise services are expanding faster at a 5.48% CAGR. In Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville industrial corridors, factories need low-latency links for automated production and real-time quality control, pushing demand for managed connectivity and cybersecurity enhancements. Smart Axiata’s next-generation signaling firewall addresses corporate security priorities and commands a premium price relative to mass-market bundles. 

Consumer growth is flattening; SIM penetration at 143% signals saturation. To sustain revenue, operators leverage bundled services that marry mobile money with entertainment, reducing churn and supporting financial inclusion goals. Meanwhile, enterprise clients are less price-sensitive and more focused on service level agreements, giving operators room for margin expansion. These dynamics collectively shape the next growth horizon for the Cambodia telecom MNO market.

Geography Analysis

Phnom Penh and adjacent provinces captured around 60% of sector revenue in 2024 and are advancing at a 5.2% CAGR toward 2030. The capital’s GDP per capita exceeds national averages by almost half, and smartphone ownership is virtually universal among working-age residents. Sihanoukville, buoyed by special economic zone incentives and a new submarine cable link from Hong Kong, is evolving into a regional connectivity hub, opening fresh wholesale transit revenues for the Cambodia telecom MNO market. 

Most rural provinces lag in both penetration and ARPU; infrastructure outlays seldom meet return thresholds. Nonetheless, Digital Cambodia 2025 literacy programs and 5G license obligations are nudging operators toward incremental rural builds backed by co-funding. Tower-sharing deals, such as Edotco’s 325-site expansion, are beginning to shrink the cost gap and extend 4G footprints along provincial routes. 

Emerging border zones like Bavet and Poipet record outsized enterprise demand from export-oriented factories that require reliable cross-border data links. Yet build-out depends on regulatory streamlining for fiber rights-of-way. Nationwide, the government’s ambition to reach upper-middle-income status by 2030 hinges on broadening digital infrastructure, reinforcing the strategic importance of sustained investment in the Cambodia telecom MNO market.