South East Asia Telecom (Seatel) has formally launched operations in Cambodia, and is banking on differentiating through a 100% 4G network.
The operator has launched LTE services in 17 provinces, and aims to cover the remaining provinces in by year-end, thee Phnom Penh Postreported.
Seatel has committed $400 million towards rolling out its 4G network and has invested $100 million of this so far. The company has a nearly 7,000km fiber network to support its LTE services.
While Cambodia's telecom market is already highly competitive, Seatel believes it can differentiate through solely operating a 4G network.
Demand for fast data services is high in Cambodia, and if the company can deliver demonstrably higher speeds than its competitors it may help shift the market.
But Smart Axiata CEO Thomas Hundt told the Post that LTE-capable smartphone penetration remains low in Cambodia, and that he cannot recall an example of an operator succeeding through solely operating a 4G network.
Seatel partnered with ZTE to build its FDD-LTE network in Cambodia last month. The company lined up the last of the funding needed for the network in February.