TelCam revenue rises

Photo by: Sovan Philong
Telecom Cambodia's headquarters in Phnom Penh. The state-owned company reported a 14 percent rise in revenue, but other telcos reported declining sales.

via Khmer NZ

Tuesday, 17 August 2010 15:00 Nguon Sovan

STATE-owned corporation Telecom Cambodia reported a 14 percent increase in revenue in the first half of the year compared with the same period last year, though some private internet service providers claimed declining income during the same period.

TC generated US$15.7 million in revenue during the first six months, up 13.7 percent from its $13.8 million for the period in 2009, director general Lao Sareoun said yesterday.

The firm says that 32,000 subscribers use its services, including land telephone lines, and its internet service provider branch. Revenue from its domestic services climbed 58 percent to $12.26 million for the year to the end of July, from $7.75 million from the same period last year.

“We grew our revenues despite very tough competition due to an increasing number of operators,” Lao Sareoun said. He said there were approximately 30 ISPs and nine mobile-phone companies in operation.

Improved economic conditions in Cambodia led the firm to target phone and internet for use by businesses, he said.

“We offer our existing customers and new clients competitive tariffs. That’s why we can maintain our pace of growth amid tough competition,” he said.

However, the firm’s revenue from international connections had declined, he said, though he could not recall the precise figures.

TC’s revenues totalled $27 million last year, Lao Sareoun said, and targeted $31 million in revenue during 2010.

Telecom Cambodia is one of the three stated-owned enterprises that had been instructed by the government in December last year to prepare for listing on Cambodia’s planned stock exchange.

Meanwhile, some private ISPs said their revenues had declined year on year.

Sok Channda, CEO of Mekong Net ISP, said that the company had seen about a one-third decline in revenues because of lowered internet service fees due to increased competition.

“Our revenue declined about 35 percent in the first half of this year versus the same period last year,” she said yesterday. “However, the company added about 30 percent more customers.”

Hy Borin, system administrator at WiCam Corporation Limited, claimed that the firm’s revenues also declined, but said he did not remember exact percentages yesterday.

“The revenue dropped sharply in the first half of this year due to too many competitors and attracting only smaller customers,” he said, but the firm saw potential to provide services to a growing number of corporations in Cambodia.