Smart (Axiata)

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Cambodia Samart Communications (Casacom) was awarded two licenses to provide mobile phone services using a 900 MHz spectrum, one for NMT 900 and the other for GSM 900 by 1998. The company obtained approval by the Cambodian government to extend its 10-year license for both networks to 35 years in 1998. Cascom was created as a joint venture between Samart Corporation (70%), a subsidiary of Samart of Thailand and the Cambodian Ministry of Posts and Communications (30%). In August 1998, Telecom Malaysia acquired a 51% stake in Cascom. Samart retained control over Cascom, even though it held a 49% stake. The company launched its network, under the brand name Hello GSM, with a US$5 million investment in October 1992. Casacom expanded its cellular NMT 900 network to 10,000 subscribers in 1995. The company covered around 65% of Cambodia by 1997. The expansion was a part of a US$10 million investment to expand coverage from five to seven provinces and install more radio base stations in the capital, Phnom Penh. Other areas covered by Samart's Nokia-supplied network were Sihanoukville, Kampong Chnang and Batambang. Casacom absorbed the subscriber network of Tricelcam in 1999. Tricelcam (TRI Cellular Communications of Cambodia) was originally a joint venture between Indonesian Technology Resources Industries Berhad (70%) and Cambodia Ministry of Posts and Communications (30%). The company held a 15-year license and operated an ETACS system in Phnom Penh city as well as a nationwide analogue cellular license. The network was launched in September 1993. The company also provided paging, trunk radio, and maritime communications services. The company faced stiff competition and closed down operations in December 1999 whereupon its subscribers were transferred to Cambodia Samart Communication. In 2005, Casacom got its concession fee to the government reduced from 15% of total revenue to 10% of total revenue. By end 2005, Casacom had 157,773 subscribers (a 49% rate of growth) of which prepaid subscribers accounted for 97.93% of the total. The company competed with CamGSM, a subsidiary of Denmark's Millicom, which lead the market; Camshin with about 100,000 subscribers; and Camtel, a subsidiary of the Charoen Pokphand Group, which was the pioneer in the market but had just 1,000 users of its low-tech analogue mobile service. In March 2006, Telekom Malaysia purchased the remaining 49% of Casacom that it did not own from Samart Corporation for US$ 29million, changing the name of the corporation from Cambodia Samart Communication Ltd., to Telekom Malaysia International (Cambodia) Co., Ltd. At the end of June 2006, the provider was the third largest provider of mobile communications in Cambodia, with 187,700 subscribers. Telekom Malaysia planned to spend $50 million during its 2006-2007 fiscal year to expand network coverage and build capacity to support 400,000 users on its network. It had spent $15 million on network infrastructure as of November 2006. In 2007, TMI - the 100% owner of TMI Cambodia annaunced a radical reorganisation of its business in 2008: demerging mobile from fixed. For the mobile side of business a new company is to be created dubbed RegionCo Telekom Malaysia International (Cambodia)among others. In April 2009, the company rebranded itself into Axiata. In February 2013, Axiata Group Berhad (Axiata), one of Asia’s largest telecommunications companies, has announced the completion of the strategic merger of Hello Axiata Company Limited (“Hello”) and Latelz Company Limited (“Smart Mobile”) which will operate as one single entity to be legally known as Latelz Company Limited. 28 March 2006 AFX Asia English (c) 2006, AFX Asia. All rights reserved. KUALA LUMPUR (XFN-ASIA) - Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) said its unit TM International Sdn Bhd has completed its acquisition of a 49 pct stake or 1.03 mln shares in Cambodia Samart Communication Co Ltd (Casacom). In a statement, TM said TM International will hold 100 pct of Casacom after the acquisition. In 2004, network expansion costing US$7.5 million (RM28.5 million) was carried out. - Telekom Malasia Annual Report. . In 2006 the company plans to upgrade the switch node to provide bigger capacity and quality network. It also will be adding 100 new radio base stations in rural and provincial sites with an investment of nearly $20million in 2006. - http://www.hellogsm.com.kh/casacom/profile.htm http://www.hello.com.kh/