Mobile operators agree to toe the line

Cambodia’s wireless service providers have agreed to stop offering excessive top-up bonuses aimed at increasing their share in the country’s overcrowded market, reports The Cambodia Daily. Mao Chakrya, director of the Telecommunication Regulator of Cambodia (TRC), said that all mobile operators have agreed to abide by rules that set a minimum price of USD0.045 per minute for on-net calls and USD0.0595 per minute for off-net calls. ‘All company representatives agreed with the TRC to follow regulations by canceling their previous strategy of offering free calls,’ Mr. Chakrya said. TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database notes that the government was forced to introduce new rules on minimum tariffs and interconnection fees in December 2009, following a dispute between Sotelco (then owned by Vimpelcom and operating under the Beeline brand) and CamGSM (Mobitel), which saw the latter temporarily cut interconnection with the former’s network. Meanwhile, earlier this month the TRC warned Latelz Company (Smart) about one of its promotions which offered a 500% top-up bonus. According to the TRC, mobile operators are barred from advertising bonuses that are 50% above of what a customer pays to top-up their airtime.