Fixed Line Telephone Costs in Cambodia
Goals for This Page:
- To help consumers find the best service for their needs at the best price (Best Value)
- To support communication providers who offer value
- To improve the value of communications available in Cambodia
If you want the basics on Fixed Line Telephones, here they are:
1. Fixed Line Service Providers usually offer lower monthly
fees, lower per minute rates and lower long distance rates across systems
than do hand phone providers.
2. Fixed line phones offer the fastest connection rate for
internet and heavy e-mail use.
3. An MPTC fixed line, particularly from the 21xxxx Apsara
system, offers the best speed and connections at the lowest rates.
If you are on a budget, or if you want to use the phone line for the internet, have a fixed line phone installed.
Return to Top Return to Communication Costs in Cambodia
Fixed Line Telephones
A "fixed line" telephone can be hardwired, or use wireless technology. The first offers better quality, surer connections and higher data speeds while that later offers ease and range of installation, and sometimes better security.
 |
A hardwired telephone is generally a desktop telephone connected in the office or house to a wire from the service provider. This wire provides power to operate the telephone and transmits incoming and outgoing signals. Hardwire phones can transmit data at higher rates, up to and beyond 56Kbps, depending on the quality of the connection. Fixed lines can only be installed where the MPTC or Camintel provide service. |
 |
A wireless fixed line uses a two-way radio transmitter to send and receive signals. It has a power supply unit to provide power from your house to the telephone unit. A Wireless Loop Fixed Phone can be used for data transmission at 9600 bps or up to14.4Kbps if the connection is of sufficient quality. Wireless fixed lines can be installed anywhere in the area served by the antennas of the provider. There are also GSM fixed phones available that can be used with either the GSM 900 telephone system or the GSM 1800 system. As with the wireless loop system the GSM fixed telephones have a power supply that attaches the phones to a single location. |
Return to Top Return to Communication Costs in Cambodia
Fixed Line Providers
There are three fixed line providers in Cambodia:
The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (MPTC) in Phnom Penh, Camintel in Phnom Penh
and the provinces, and Shinawatra
(Wireless Loop Fixed Phones) in Phnom Penh and a few provinces (or a GSM provider if you
buy a GSM fixed telephone).
There are several MPTC systems, distinguished by the prefix number .
The best quality system is the 21xxxx Apsara system installed with assistance from Japan.
Users of this system are provided with new connections within their business or home. The
system uses fiber optics for communications within Phnom Penh. This system is the best
available system for Internet connections as it is capable of connections beyond 56k (see the Internet
page if you will be connecting to the Internet)
The 42xxxx and updated 72xxxx MPTC systems are also hardwired systems.
Although they are not as modern as the Apsara system they can be used for data transfer at
rates between 14,400 bps and 56k
depending on location. The Shinawatra Wireless Loop system can transmit data at
up to 14,400bps (14K) with additional
installation cost. This is adequate for voice, fax and limited e-mail transmissions
but is slow for Internet connections.
Return to Top Return to Communication Costs in Cambodia
Fixed Line Telephone Rates in Cambodia
Telephone companies offer many per minute rates
within the basic monthly service plan. The main rates of interest are:
- Connection charges
- Monthly service fees
- Local calls to the same Telephone Service Provider.
- Local calls to different Telephone Service Providers.
- Calls to another province on the same Telephone Service Provider.
- Calls to another province on a different Telephone Service Provider.
- International calls from Phnom Penh.
- And, international calls from the provinces.
Bold denotes a good value. Blue denotes an exceptional value. Red
denotes a price that is too high.
For comparison
I have combined and charted
the above rates into five components of telephone costs of interest to a fixed line user.
These are:
1. the Cost to Begin Telephone Service
2. the Monthly Service Charges
3. the Per Minute Rate.
4. the Estimated Cost to Call Other Services
5. the Cost of Calls to Inter-Provincial and International
Numbers
For those interested there are charts on Data Transfer Rates. See the Internet section for information on Data Transfer Costs
Return to Top Return to Communication Costs in Cambodia
(trying to) Simplify
the Rates
In order to simplify comparison I have tried to estimate for fixed line
phones the monthly costs that you can expect given a few different patterns of usage.
1. There is a chart of costs for Calls Within the Same Service Provider. If you call only to other people who use the same service this is the cost that you could expect.
2. There is a chart of the Estimated Cost for Calls to a Variety of Service Providers. If you call to people on several different services these are the costs that you could expect.
3. Finally, there is a chart for the Costs for Inter-Provincial and International Calls. If you call to telephones in other provinces or countries these are the costs that you can expect.
Using these three charts, for fixed line phones you should be able to compare the monthly costs that you can expect with various service providers. Because of the variety of plans and rates you should confirm that the rates quoted here are correct. If you find an error please contact me.
Return to Top Return to Communication Costs in Cambodia
Fixed
Lines Hardwire and Wireless: Cost to Begin
Service
Fixed line installation costs, including deposit, are similar for MPTC ($130) and Camintel ($100). It is not clear if Shinawatra still charges $100 each for fax and data service. Camintel now offers connection in Phnom Penh and in the provinces for $100. There is generally little wait for installation of a Shinawatra phone. 21xxx Apsara phones take up to three weeks to install, but this can be expedited with a little bit of cultural sensitivity. If fax service or data service is required for the Shinawatra telephone it is necessary to pay addition fees of $100 for each.
Return to Top Return to Communication Costs in Cambodia
Monthly Service Charge for Fixed Lines
Camintel $10 per month in Phnom Penh or the provinces.
MPTC $8 per month for all lines.
Shinawatra $15 per month.
Per Minute Usage Costs for Fixed Lines In System
These are the rates from one fixed line telephone to another in
the same Service Provider. These are the lowest rates that telephone Service Providers
offer, from $0.01 to $0.02 per minute. These rates are important for heavy telephone users
or for internet use. Compare these fixed line rates with the average in system rate for
hand phones of $0.17
Return to Top Return to Communication Costs in Cambodia
Expected Monthly In System Charges for Fixed Line Telephones
These are the Monthly Costs that you can expect for In System charges on your Fixed Line telephone, calls to other telephones within the same system, based on the per minute rates above. An MPTC fixed line telephone used for internet should pay these rates. If you will use the telephone for calls to other telephone systems and to hand phones see the two charts below for an estimate of monthly charges for In and Out of System calls.
Return to Top Return to Communication Costs in Cambodia
Estimated Average Per Minute Charges for Fixed Line Telephones
This chart shows rates for connections within the Service Provider, and across Service
Providers to fixed and other mobile Service Providers. There is also an estimate of an
average rate based the various rates and the number of telephones that each provider
has.
At present there are approximately
17,000 MPTC fixed lines and 166,000
mobile phones in Cambodia.
Estimates are based on the number of
phones that a system has and the
percentage of calls that can be expected
to be in system and out of
system.
Return to Top Return to Communication Costs in Cambodia
Expected Monthly Costs For Fixed Line Telephones
A monthly cost has been charted using the estimated per minute charges. Each line starts
with the monthly service charge on the left and adds average per minute charges as the
number of minutes of use increases. On the bottom of the chart look at the number of
minutes that you will use the telephone each day. Going up to the diagonal line
representing a service provider and across to the right you can read an estimate of what
your monthly cost might be with that provider. The lower the diagonal line is the lower
you can expect your monthly bill to be. Note that the estimated monthly costs do not
include calls out of province or out of country. Your costs will also vary depending on
the mix of in system and out of system calls that you make.
Return to Top Return to Communication Costs in Cambodia
Cost of Calls to Inter-Provincial and International Numbers
Service providers have extra charges for calls out of the
province, out of the country or from the provinces out of the country. Note that
there is no reason for the surcharge on an international call to be any higher than the
regular per minute rate; the provider is simply connecting you to MPTC. There is also no
reason for calls between provinces to be more expensive. (see How Interconnect Rates
Work)
Note that Shinawatra charges $0.50 and $0.60 to Shinawatra and other hand phones
in other provinces, instead of the same
$0.10 and $0.18 charged locally. Although per minute
rates in Cambodia are generally very high, fixed line networks that charge over
$0.20 per
minute for inter-provincial calls are overcharging their customers. Note that the
Overseas rate is the amount that Service Providers add to the
rather high MPTC overseas
call rates.
Return to Top Return to Communication Costs in Cambodia
Data Transfer Rates for Fixed Line Telephones
Transfer rates on
the 42xxxx and 72xxxx systems approach 56Kbps while data transfer rates on the MPTC Apsara
system (56Kbps) are limited only by current modem technology and the ISP provider. They
are also the lowest cost lines. These are the lines that you want if you want data
transfer or internet connection.
Shinawatra Wireless Loop data transfer rates are limited to 14,400bps
(14Kbs). There are also GSM fixed phones available that can be used for data transfer
with the GSM 900 telephone system. The GSM system can transmit data at up to
9600bps (9K). This is adequate for voice transmissions but fax and e-mail transmissions
will be slowed.
Return to Top Return to Communication Costs in Cambodia
Summary:
An MPTC telephone, particularly a 21xxxx Apsara line, offers
low monthly and per minute
rates, data transfer rates 300% to 500% higher than wireless loop or GSM fixed line
options, and the capacity for future increases in data modem speeds.
Shinawatra offers the advantages of quicker installation and installation in
some areas not served by the MPTC system.
Prices have dropped considerably
recently. Data transfer speed is limited to 14Kbps.
Use of a GSM 900 or 1800 fixed line offers the advantage of the GSM
services (call waiting, call forwarding, voice mail). Data transfer is limited though to
9600 bps. Monthly rates for GSM fixed lines are the same as those for GSM telephones and
are generally not competitive with an MPTC or Shinawatra fixed line. Additionally the
initial cost of the GSM wireless telephone, at
~$500, is much higher than that of other
fixed lines.
So:
- If you want an Internet connection, buy an MPTC or Camintel telephone line.
- If you are in a hurry, don't want Internet, or are not in an area served by MPTC or Camintel, buy a Shinawatra.
- If you are in an area not served by MPTC and need to transfer data reliably, or need other services from the telephone, buy a GSM fixed line.
Return to Top Return to Communication Costs in Cambodia
Recommendations:
MPTC
1. Continue the expansion of fixed line services in Phnom Penh and in the provinces.
Lower the cost of connection to the Route 5 fiber optic cable in order to facilitate this.
2. Continue to lower the cost of international calls.
Low
telecommunications costs are one of the keys to development in Cambodia.
Shinawatra:
Reduce
rates from Fixed Loop telephones to out
of province hand phones
Allow staff to give information on the
number or customers to the public.
Camintel:
Improve satellite connections or install
microwave connections between other provincial towns and Phnom Penh to
address the poor quality, low speed and high cost of
connections to other internet providers.
Return to Top Return to Communication Costs in Cambodia
Consumers:
1. If you frequently call to the provinces or to a
variety of Service Providers, use an MPTC or Camintel telephone.
2. Wait for lower international rates from MPTC. Until then use
e-mail, callback and internet calling to reduce costs for international calls.
3. If you use a hand phone, use the
lower in system inter-provincial rates.
Beware of high out of system inter-provincial rates.
Service Numbers and E-mail Addresses: