Back in the day, getting a SIM card within Cambodia tours was not a simple thing, tourists had to get one with an overpriced tourist SIM especially for foreigners, or they had to have a Cambodian sponsor. But those days are long gone, now travelers can easily get a regular SIM card in Cambodia.
Cambodia has a complicated mobile market. However, it will be good news for consumers because they can take advantage of numerous special promotions. The Cambodian cell companies include Cellcard/Mobitel, Metfone, Smart, QB, Beeline, CooTel, and Excell. Each branch offers a different price package and has different levels of coverage around the country, especially in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. It is very common when you see Cambodians with three or even four cellphones in hand because making cross-network calls can be expensive and difficult. Though, most expatriates choose pre-paid Cellcard plans due to their English-speaking staff and cheap data packages.
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Where Can You Buy a SIM Card in Cambodia?
You can easily buy a SIM card at any of the phone shops and airports in Cambodia, but the mobile company is highly recommended. In fact, carriers are required to keep a copy of your passport on file, but not many of the small shops bother with this requirement. If your passport has been registered, you can get a replacement SIM when you lose your phone. Evidently, if not, you have no way to use it anymore. Besides, phone shops charge a large markup on SIM cards costing $2 at the carrier office will be $10 at shops.
How to Buy a Cambodian SIM Card & Phone Charges
To purchase a SIM card, you just need to bring a passport with a valid visa to the office. They offer a variety of cards from around $2. At Cellcard, SIMs cost $2 and you need to pay at least $1 in credit when you purchase one to activate it. In-network calls cost 5-7 cents per minute and 8 cents per minute for cross-network calls. International calls cost 20 cents per minute, if you dial 177 before the country code, it will be as low as 4.5 cents a minute.
If you need a data plan on your phone, Cellcard is also the carrier of choice. A monthly package with 3.5 GB just $5. Dial #8181#3#2# from your Cellcard phone. You may need to configure the following information:
APN: Cellcard
Username: Mobitel
Password: Mobitel
How to Buy Mobile Phones in Cambodia
Phones are available at any shops all over the country. The cheapest one is Nokia's costing around $20 to $22 and has a handy flashlight feature. Smartphones are also on sale all over the country, or you can unlock the phone you brought from home.
Some Reliable Address
Citi phone
- 33 Street 128 (Kampuchea Krom), Phnom Penh
Tel: 023 216 456; 013 733 777
Cellcard
- 33 Sihanouk Boulevard, Phnom Penh
Tel: 012 800 800
- 50 Sivutha Street, Siem Reap
Tel: 012 829 909; 017 829 909
