The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications is urging local telecom operators to inject funding for infrastructure and improve the quality of mobile and internet services, which are in sharp demand.

The ministry assigned the Telecommunications Regulator of Cambodia (TRC) to review the quality of service in some areas after reports of disruptions earlier this week.

It said in a statement: “All mobile telecommunications operators need to improve the quality of their telecommunications services everywhere, especially in urban areas and in new development areas.

“The ministry makes it clear that telecommunications operators must guarantee the quality of mobile services to consumers in accordance with the terms of their licence.

“Any provision of poor quality mobile service is a dishonest act as stated in the Consumer Protection Act,” it said.

TRC spokesman Im Vutha told The Post on Thursday that to respond to the growing use of mobile phone and internet services, all operators have to invest more quickly in telecommunications infrastructure.

He said internet data download traffic expanded 104 per cent in the first quarter of this year compared to the same period last year, while upload traffic increased more than 92 per cent during the period.

“The Covid-19 problem has led a lot of people to work online, and students to study online, as more people take their businesses to the web, leading to a massive increase in internet usage,” he said.

Leading mobile operator Smart Axiata Co Ltd consistently invests $70 to $80 million in capital expenditure (capex) every year primarily for network expansions and enabling advanced mobile technologies, CEO Thomas Hundt told The Post.http://https://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/invest-more-infrastructure-govt-tells-telecommunications-operators