Delivering Cambodia’s 5G digital transformation
CELLCARD
IN ASSOCIATION WITH DIGITAL REPORT 2020
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Delivering Cambodia’s 5G digital transformation WRITTEN BY
MATT HIGH
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PRODUCED BY
GLEN WHITE
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CELLCARD
Cellcard’s CEO, Ian Watson, discusses how the telecoms company is enabling a 5G-driven digitisation of Cambodia
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igital technology and the greater use of data have irreversibly changed virtually every industry, and the telecoms sector
is no exception. Indeed, the advent of one specific innovation has forever changed the way that we communicate, bank, work and engage with the 04
world, as well as our expectations as consumers: the smartphone. “The smartphone has become one of the most important tools in our lives,” shares Ian Watson, CEO of telecoms leader, Cellcard. “The smartphone is your connection to the digital world. It is the means to purchase items and pay bills, the vault which holds the data of your life via photographs and videos, an assistant which tells you where you need to be, and can act as the advisor of how to get there. It can measure your health and advise you on issues, and is the instrument which allows you to receive your correspondence and entertainment.” Cellcard is at the forefront of telecommunications innovation and digital transformation. The business, which is fully Cambodian-owned and
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CELLCARD
“ We view Cellcard as moving away from the traditional mobile network operator model to being a full digital life service provide” — Ian Watson, CEO, Cellcard 06
operated, is committed to providing access to mobile technology and connectivity to all Cambodians, regardless of their location. In doing so, it has risen to become the preeminent telecoms company in the Kingdom - it was the first to offer nationwide coverage and prepaid services in 1998, the first to provide a 3G network with streaming services in 2005 and, in 2010, the first to launch a mobile payments platform. More recently, Cellcard is now the operator of Cambodia’s fastest 4G
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07 network, with the Kingdom experi-
its own transformational journey. “We
encing a 36% growth in mobile data
view Cellcard as moving away from
subscribers since its launch.
the traditional mobile network opera-
In short, Cellcard sets the standard
tor model to being a full digital lifestyle
for telecoms innovation in Cambodia.
service provider,” he explains. “We’ll
With Watson at the helm, however, it
make sure that your device – whether
doesn’t rest on its laurels. The busi-
a handheld or wearable device - is
ness is currently dedicated to driving
truly connected to the world. It’s all
and leading Cambodia’s ongoing
part of a wider ecosystem that we’re
digitalisation through the develop-
building that we call our ‘walled gar-
ment and launch of the Kingdom’s
den’. When you’re in our garden you’ll
first 5G network. As Watson reveals
be able to access all the services you
during the course of our conversation,
need. It will be a great place to be
despite its technology-first approach,
that’s driven by the latest technology,
this has also seen Cellcard undergo
and you won’t want to leave.” w w w. b u s in e s s c hie f. a s ia
Building a Fully Connected, Intelligent World “Huawei, our key strategic partner has been working side-by-side with Cellcard on 4G projects within many key cities and provinces in 2019. With the support from Huawei’s high technology solution, we have completed the first real 5G trial test in Cambodia following the download speed that reached 1.6Gbps with lower latency rate at less than 10ms. Cellcard is confident in choosing Huawei to embrace digital life to every person, home and organization in Cambodia for an intelligent future with intelligent connections.”
Let’s Move Forward to a 5G Era
“ The smartphone connects you to the world” — Ian Watson, CEO, Cellcard The industry is changing rapidly, particularly in Cambodia. Watson explains that while this is in part driven by the evolution of technology, it is also a product of the broader change in the Kingdom. “It’s not the biggest that survive, it’s those that adapt the quickest. As we move into the digital world, it’s vital to be up to speed with those changes and all of the dynamic developments around 5G and other telecom innovations. “The key driver of change, particularly in Cambodia, is the increasing appetite for large data,” he continues. “If you look at the history of the country, there has never been a fixed line infrastructure. Instead,
E X E C U T I V E P R OF IL E :
Ian Watson Ian Watson is recognised within the telecommunications community as one of the leading figures in relation to 5G and digital transformation having built a 30-year career in the industry across global markets. His most recent industry recognition was the 5G Asia People’s Choice Award for Operator CXO of the Year. He has also gained significant exposure in the past year as the driving force behind one of the most aggressive 4G roll-outs in the SE Asian region, achieving for three years running both the Ookla and Opensignal Awards. His focus now is firmly set on driving the digitisation of Cambodia with early adoption of pre-5G and the introduction of 5G across the key segments of Consumer, Government and Corporate.
as we’ve moved into the digital age, Cambodians have gone straight to mobile broadband, mobile data and connectivity. At the same time, we w w w. b u s in e s s c hie f. a s ia
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CELLCARD
C E L LC A R D : U S I N G 5 G T O C O M B AT C OV I D -1 9
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In March Cellcard announced the Kingdom’s first use of 5G for a telemedicine service at four locations across Phnom Penh to help with critically ill patients. Cellcard demonstrated 5G speeds of more than 1.6 gigabits per second, and installed the service at: • The Khmer Soviet Friendship Hospital • The Chak Angre Health Center • Ministry of Health • Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications The initiative was led by Royal Group Chairman Neak Oknha Kith Meng in full cooperation with both Ministries. Watson says: “the Chairman of the company is Cambodian and his mantra is to support the digitalisation of Cambodia with the Royal Government. Cellcard will be the leading 5G digital network and will drive that vision.”
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Cellcard Chairman Kith Meng
5G live test
have a very young demographic
he explains. “It is for sure going to
– 60% of the Cambodian population
be a strong force in the global digital
is under 30 years of age. This is gen-
transformation, and a leading pro-
eration X. It’s people who want to be
ponent of the digital world. We, as a
connected, to be social, bank and shop
company, are very much part of that
through their devices, it’s an absolutely
journey culturally too.
modern lifestyle and we have to be sure we’re providing for that.” Cambodian lifestyle and the cul-
“We pride ourselves on our Cambodian heritage; 99% of our employees are Cambodian,” Watson
ture that pervades throughout the
continues. “But you can’t be digital
Kingdom is important internally, too,
on the outside unless you’re digital
says Watson. Indeed, as the company
on the inside. As a result, and as part
navigates the rollout of 5G, he finds
of this journey to the 5G digitialsing of
the strong cultural aspect of Cellcard
Cambodia, we’re having to re-engineer
to be vital to progress. “One of the
and reprocess virtually the entire
things that attracted me to Cambodia
company from the top down. And it’s
is the culture, it’s so rich and diverse,”
not just about processes, it’s about people, having good digital change managers and a concerted effort to bring the whole company into the digital world.” It is also, says Watson, about building and developing technology that is embedded in that Cambodian heritage. “For example, we’ve created a Cambodian Chat app called Mith Laor, which means ‘good friends’. The app includes a TV platform to host video and other content, a payment platform that sees us explore more w w w. b u s in e s s c hie f. a s ia
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lifestyle-type services, and more. It’s
completed, will see it “having built one
all part of this broader end-to-end
of the best, most dynamic digital 5G
digital platform that we will deliver
platforms not only in Cambodia, but in
through the 5G rollout, and it all works
the world”, says Watson.
through a smartphone app. To ensure
Cellcard has several sites that it
this is best-in-class we’re already
has been running for some time as
looking to integrate other innovations,
part of that process. The company
such as AI, integrated voice assistants,
recently used its 5G infrastructure
chatbots and robotics”.
to provide an important service as
As to the implementation, Watson
part of Cambodia’s efforts to combat
explains that Cellcard’s network is pre-
the COVID-19 pandemic. In March it
5G enabled, with all 5G testing already
announced the Kingdom’s first use
being concluded some two years ago.
of 5G for a telemedicine service at
The company is currently working with
four locations across Phnom Penh
the government ministries on a test
to help with critically ill patients. The
and releasing spectrum that, once
service allowed doctors to use video
MONTH 2019
“ To have a dynamic 5G network it has to be accessible. It must be fast and deliver everything that we promise” — Ian Watson, CEO, Cellcard
been helped and underpinned by our existing, superfast 4G network too, which remains the best performing in Cambodia.” Naturally, any significant transformation journey brings challenges and a degree of change management. For example, says Watson, a company can’t digitalise if it doesn’t have the technology. Cellcard has invested significantly in its network to facilitate the rollout of 5G, but also in building a team of people with the correct mindset and ambition to drive the
conferencing technology linked to mobile phones and devices across
Kingdom’s digitalisation. On the technologies that will enable
Cambodia to assess patients in real-
this, Watson explains that “to have
time. This extends to the provision
a dynamic 5G network it has to be
of real-time clinical care, counselling
accessible. It must be fast and deliver
and therapy, as well as education
everything that we promise. But it’s
for consultants and support for
not just about speed, it’s about under-
medical teams.
standing and incorporating all of the
“It’s part of what we are trying to do
new opportunities that can be gained
as we move into a full 5G environment,”
from a 5G world, so things like network
Watson explains. “We’re looking at
splicing, enhanced mobile capabilities
using the technology for remote diag-
and the Internet of Things. Second to
nostics in all provinces, to support
that, is ensuring you have the neces-
medical staff and for other diagnosis
sary platforms to deliver all of the
and treatment services such as rec-
products and services. This includes a
ognising cataracts and more. It’s all
robust cloud computing platform and w w w. b u s in e s s c hie f. a s ia
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CELLCARD
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“ 5G will underpin the true digital transformation of the Kingdom and we’re plugged in and ready to deliver on that vision” — Ian Watson, CEO, Cellcard J U LY 2 0 2 0
watertight cybersecurity practices.” The latter, he explains, is crucial as networks and data grow. “In a true digital world, it won’t just be your handset that you should be concerned about, it’ll be every device in your home,” he states. “For organisations like us, it means the need to authenticate a large number of devices latching to the network, ensuring robust perimeter defences so that people can’t get into the network in the first instance and more. We invest huge
Looking ahead to a 5G-enabled Cambodia, Watson elaborates on the benefits that the technology will bring, not just to consumers but also the Kingdom’s enterprise economy. “The B2B market is, in my opinion, one of the biggest selling points of 5G,” he states. “We’re already setting up a dedicated 5G digital enterprise department to focus solely on the B2B and SME sectors and we are investing heavily in data centres so that enterprises can manage and have access to the vast amounts of data that they will need. “For Cambodia, the future is very exciting. It’s a young, dynamic county and it has huge potential that can amounts into our security protocols –
be realised by digitalisation. 5G will
we simply have to.”
underpin the true digital transforma-
For this, and other areas of technology,
tion of the Kingdom and we’re plugged
Watson states that partnerships prove
in and ready to deliver on that vision,”
important. A good technology partner,
he concludes.
he says, must fit Cellcard’s digital vision and be prepared to work towards the long-term ambitions of the company and the Kingdom. He cites a long-term partnership with Microsoft as a good example, through which Cellcard has access to the company’s video conferencing and other technologies. w w w. b u s in e s s c hie f. a s ia
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