The operator aims to invest $400M in the next two to three years
South East Asia Telecom has partnered with Chinese infrastructure provider ZTE to deploy a FDD-LTE network in Cambodia.
Under the terms of the agreement, ZTE will be the exclusive provider of end-to-end 4G solutions and products, including network Evolved Packet Core, microwave, power, Internet Protocol Radio Access Network, bearer and Online Charging System. The Chinese firm will also provide its network coordination products Cloud UniCore and Cloud Radio.
The deployment of a national LTE network in Cambodia is a key step for the international expansion of Seatel, which is planning to build LTE networks in other countries.
Seatel was established in 2014 in Singapore. The operator’s subsidiary in Cambodia has licenses to offer 4G LTE and other services including broadband, wireless fixed-line and VoIP. Seatel Cambodia aims to launch commercial 4G LTE services during 2015.
Earlier this year, the operator announced plans to invest $400 million over the next two to three years to deploy its 4G LTE network across Cambodia, and has already invested nearly $100 million in Cambodia. This initial investment was used to acquire the company’s headquarters in the capital Phnom Penh and the purchase of 5,500km of fiber optic cables.
In related news, China Mobile has partnered with compatriot telecom infrastructure providers ZTE and Qualcomm for the deployment of 3-Carrier Aggregation 4G LTE-A service based on Cat 9 devices. With the new service offered by China Mobile in Guangzhou, subscribers with Cat 9 devices powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor with X10 LTE will have access to downlink data rates of over 300 Mbps, more than triple the speeds of existing TD-LTE networks.
At this year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, ZTE partnered with China Mobile and Qualcomm to demonstrate TD-LTE DL 3CA service with commercial terminals for the first time. The commercial 3- Carrier Aggregation LTE-A network launch in Guangzhou was the culmination of the cooperation among the three companies.
China Mobile had over 140 million 4G LTE subscribers as of May 31.
