5G by Smart: First Live Trial Showcase in Cambodia
Empowering Cambodia for the Future of Connectivity and Digital Lifestyle
Phnom Penh, 8th July 2019: Smart Axiata, Cambodia’s leading mobile telecommunications company, hosted the first 5G live trial showcase in Cambodia on Monday at Smart Shop Monivong in front of an audience of Smart employees, invited guests and media.
The trial showcase entitled “Empowering Cambodia for the Future of Connectivity and Digital Lifestyle” was graced by H.E. Ambassador Eldeen Husaini Mohd Hashim, Ambassador of Malaysia to the Kingdom of Cambodia and H.E. Moa Chakrya, Chairman of the Telecommunication Regulator of Cambodia.
Smart Axiata CEO Thomas Hundt, armed with a 5G-enabled mobile device from Huawei, demonstrated together with Stjepan Udovicic, CMO of Smart Axiata and the Ambassador some specific use cases showing how the power of 5G connectivity centering around Gigabit speeds, ultra-reliable low latency and massive connections will rocketeer user experience as well as unlock entirely new applications.
Monday’s trial showcase highlighted Smart’s leadership in the industry, after being the first mobile telecommunications company in Cambodia to launch 4G in 2014, followed by 4G+ in 2016, 4G+ with HD Voice (VoLTE) in 2017 and 4.5G later that same year.
“Our mission is to enrich the lives of millions of Cambodians through world-class networks and exceptional digital experiences. Which is why we invest 70 to 80 million USD yearly, primarily in network infrastructure, to improve mobile broadband connectivity across the Kingdom. Trust that we will continue to improve our existing 4.5G service while preparing for future technologies like 5G in parallel,” said Thomas at the trial showcase.
The 5G live trial showcased an array of future possibilities that could shape societies by transforming interactions, industries and economies.
“5G will revolutionize the world we live in through artificial intelligence, robotics, autonomous IoT, big data analytics and so much more. Today’s use cases are only the tip of the iceberg! Mobile networks with Gbps speeds will improve streaming and performance of download tasks; ultra-low latency will improve live quality broadcasts, VR and gaming; while massive connections will be highly beneficial to address the rapidly expanding number of connected devices,” explained Stjepan.
International commercial 5G launches are expected to exponentially increase towards the end of the year as more 5G-enabled devices enter the market. It is expected that initial 5G commercial rollout in Cambodia will be focused at ‘hotspots’ in major cities for the first few years.
“As exemplified through this live trial, Smart is exploring all aspects of this advanced technology and we are making sure we are ready to transition to 5G. Our industry has a unique opportunity to be one of the first in the ASEAN region to launch 5G and we are looking forward to work closely with the government authorities to ensure the relevant policies are fit for purpose,” added Thomas.