Metfone and Cisco Forge Strategic Partnership to Accelerate Cambodia’s Digital Future.

In a major milestone for Cambodia’s technology landscape, Metfone has officially entered a strategic partnership with Cisco, one of the world’s leading technology innovators to deliver next-generation ICT solutions to businesses, organizations, and government institutions nationwide. This collaboration marks a defining shift in Metfone’s evolution, transitioning from a traditional telecommunications operator into a fully integrated technology solutions provider capable of supporting Cambodia’s fast-growing digital ecosystem.

A New Technology Distribution Era for Cambodia

Under this strategic agreement, Metfone will take on a central role in distributing a full suite of Cisco’s advanced enterprise products and specialized technology solutions throughout Cambodia. This includes everything from high-level networking systems to industry-specific solutions designed to enhance operational efficiency across sectors. This expanded distribution power positions Metfone to offer a wider and more sophisticated product ecosystem than ever before.

Strengthening Customer Support Through Consulting and Deployment Services

A second major pillar of the partnership centers on Metfone’s commitment to providing top-tier consulting, deployment, and ongoing technical support to customers adopting Cisco technologies. This ensures Cambodian businesses receive world-class service quality from onboarding to long-term lifecycle management fully aligned with global standards. This enhanced support system will enable organizations to integrate new technologies more smoothly and maintain reliable digital operations as they scale.

Building a Nationwide Network of Partners and Distribution Channels

The third pillar focuses on expanding accessibility. Metfone will develop a robust network of distribution channels and local partners, enabling customers across all provinces and major cities to quickly and transparently access Cisco’s authentic products. With this decentralized market reach, even remote areas can benefit from reliable digital infrastructure, contributing to more inclusive national development.

Cisco’s Contribution: Technology, Training, and Market Development

In return, Cisco will equip Metfone with its latest portfolio of products, ensuring that Cambodian customers gain access to cutting-edge global innovations. Cisco will also implement comprehensive training programs to enhance Metfone’s workforce capabilities, including internationally recognized certifications. Beyond technology and training, Cisco will collaborate with Metfone on marketing strategies, market development initiatives, and national programs supporting Cambodia’s broader digital transformation agenda.

A Boost for Businesses, Government Agencies, and Consumers

The partnership offers tremendous value for Cambodia’s business community, government institutions, and end users. With stronger local expertise and faster access to world-class solutions, organizations can implement scalable, synchronized, and secure digital systems more efficiently. Consumers will also benefit from reliable, high-quality products backed by professionally trained local teams, ensuring authenticity, transparency, and trust.

Driving Cambodia’s Digital Transformation Forward

For Metfone, this collaboration represents a bold strategic leap forward, strengthening its competitive edge and positioning it as a leading national driver of digital transformation. By expanding its technology ecosystem, Metfone is now better equipped to support modern digital infrastructure demands, from enterprise modernization to nationwide digital government initiatives. More importantly, the partnership sets the stage for accelerated technological progress, helping Cambodian businesses and institutions embrace sustainable, efficient, and future-ready digital solutions.

A Testament to Metfone’s Long-Term Vision

Ultimately, the Metfone–Cisco alliance reflects Metfone’s enduring commitment to delivering high-value technology to Cambodian customers. More than a business agreement, this partnership underscores Metfone’s pioneering role in shaping Cambodia’s technological advancement and supporting the nation’s journey toward a more dynamic digital economy.

Source: https://www.information.gov.kh/articles/175575

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Facebook has introduced Facebook Verified, a new free verification badge designed to help users identify real people across the platform. Announced on July 24, 2026, the feature uses a quick selfie based verification process to confirm that an account belongs to a genuine individual. As artificial intelligence continues to make it easier to create fake profiles, images, and messages, Meta says the new badge is intended to strengthen trust and improve user safety across Facebook.

The rollout begins in selected markets before expanding worldwide. Unlike Meta Verified, this new verification system is completely free and focuses on confirming identity rather than offering premium features. The badge will initially appear on Facebook Marketplace, Dating, Groups, and user profiles, giving people greater confidence when interacting with others online.

A Free Way to Verify Real People

Facebook Verified is built around a simple verification process that requires users to record a short selfie video. The system compares the video with existing profile photos to confirm that the account belongs to the same person. Most verifications take only a few minutes to complete.

Eligible users must be at least 18 years old and maintain accounts that comply with Facebook’s Community Standards. Accounts associated with fraud, scams, deceptive activities, or other inauthentic behavior are not eligible. At launch, the feature is available only for personal Facebook profiles and does not support Pages or Professional Mode accounts.

Designed to Build Trust Across Facebook

Meta says billions of people rely on Facebook every day for buying and selling through Marketplace, finding relationships on Dating, participating in Groups, and connecting with friends and communities. As AI generated content becomes more common, distinguishing genuine users from fake accounts has become increasingly important.

The Facebook Verified badge serves as a visible indicator that a profile has successfully completed identity verification. Whether users are responding to a Marketplace listing, chatting in a Group, or viewing a dating profile, the badge offers an additional layer of confidence that a real person is behind the account.

Where the Verified Badge Will Appear

Verified users will initially see the badge displayed on their personal profile, Facebook Marketplace, Facebook Dating, and Facebook Groups. Meta also plans to expand the badge to appear in Feed posts in the future, making verified identities more visible throughout the platform.

Because verification is linked directly to the user’s account, there is no need to pay a subscription or repeatedly verify across different Facebook features. Once approved, the badge follows the user throughout supported areas of Facebook.

What Facebook Verified Really Means?

The new badge confirms only one thing, that the account belongs to a real person who has completed Facebook’s identity verification process and meets the platform’s trust and safety requirements.

However, Meta emphasizes that the badge should not be interpreted as an endorsement or guarantee of a person’s honesty or behavior. Verified users must still follow Facebook’s Community Standards, Commerce Policies, and all other platform rules.

As Meta explained, “The Facebook Verified badge means a profile belongs to a real person — someone who completed selfie verification and meets our trust and safety standards.”

The company also clarified, “The Facebook Verified badge does not mean that Facebook endorses the user or guarantees their trustworthiness.”

Meta Responds to the Rise of AI Generated Profiles

The introduction of Facebook Verified reflects Meta’s broader effort to address challenges created by rapidly advancing artificial intelligence. As AI tools make it easier to generate convincing fake identities, the company believes visible identity verification will become increasingly important for maintaining authentic interactions online.

By offering a free and accessible verification process, Meta hopes to make Facebook a safer place for buying, selling, dating, and community engagement while preserving genuine human connections.

For additional details about the announcement, readers can visit Meta’s official newsroom.

Conclusion

Facebook Verified marks a significant step toward improving trust across one of the world’s largest social media platforms. By allowing eligible users to verify their identity through a quick selfie based process, Meta aims to make it easier to recognize authentic people while reducing the impact of fake accounts and AI generated identities. As the feature expands globally, it could become an important tool for creating safer and more reliable interactions across Facebook.

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Cambodia’s internet scene in 2025 looks remarkably different from just a decade ago. From patchy connections and limited coverage, the Kingdom is now entering an age of robust digital connectivity — all thanks to fierce market competition, forward-looking government policies, and the relentless push of global digital trends.

If you’re living in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Battambang, or even in some remote provinces, chances are your daily life is increasingly tied to fast, stable internet — be it for online learning, running a Facebook shop, streaming dramas on YouTube, or sending money to family via a digital wallet.

So how did Cambodia arrive here, and what does the internet services landscape look like today? Let’s dive deep.

Over 20 Million Internet Subscribers: A Massive Leap

According to the Telecommunication Regulator of Cambodia (TRC), by 2025, the country proudly counts over 20 million Internet subscribers. That’s a staggering rise from around 16.6 million in 2020 — the year COVID-19 forced people to work and study from home, accelerating digital adoption.

Keep in mind Cambodia’s total population is only about 17 million. How is this possible? It’s simple: many Cambodians own multiple SIM cards or data plans, using separate subscriptions for work, personal, or gaming purposes.

Still, the figure is telling. It shows internet is no longer a luxury but a necessity woven into the fabric of everyday Cambodian life.

The Competitive Landscape: Why Customers Are Winning

A recent report by nPerf.com, a global platform that benchmarks internet quality, reveals how competition has truly paid off for Cambodian consumers.

Their latest analysis, based on thousands of tests across Cambodia, ranks operators on download speeds, upload speeds, latency (important for gaming and video calls), browsing smoothness, and streaming quality. The results speak volumes:

• Mekongnet leads Cambodia’s fixed internet sector, scoring 80,775 nPoints, with impressive download speeds averaging 55.5 Mbps and upload at 41.6 Mbps, plus the best latency at 43.3 ms.
• Metfone comes second, showing significant improvements: 15.3% faster downloads and 13.9% better browsing performance than the previous year. Their overall score rose by 11.5%.
• SingMeng Telemedia holds third place. While it needs to boost its latency (currently at 72.3 ms) and browsing (40%), it still ensures good streaming quality (68.1%).

This rivalry benefits consumers tremendously. Providers are constantly upgrading their networks to retain and attract customers. In return, Cambodians get faster, more reliable connections at competitive prices.

Urban vs Rural Divide: Slowly Narrowing

Historically, Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, and Sihanoukville enjoyed the best internet infrastructure. Rural communes, meanwhile, lagged behind, often limited to 3G or slow 4G signals.

But 2025 marks notable change. Under the Digital Economy and Social Policy Framework 2021-2035, the Royal Government prioritized extending fiber-optic cables and improving mobile broadband to even the most remote communes.

A Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications report last year highlighted that fiber-optic infrastructure now covers over 90% of the country’s districts, and many villages have at least one tower capable of delivering 4G LTE. This is a game-changer for students doing online assignments or farmers checking real-time market prices.

The Push Toward 5G: Is Cambodia Ready?

Cambodia’s telecom sector isn’t stopping at 4G. The government’s Phase I Pentagonal Strategy includes concrete steps to transition toward 5G, making it one of the key priorities alongside rural electrification and road development.

Metfone and Smart Axiata have already conducted pilot tests in Phnom Penh and parts of Siem Reap. Industry insiders suggest commercial 5G could roll out in limited urban areas by late 2025 or early 2026, starting with business hubs and industrial parks.

5G won’t just mean lightning-fast movie downloads. It’s crucial for supporting future technologies like autonomous delivery vehicles, smart city systems (like traffic lights responding to real-time congestion), telemedicine, and even advanced agricultural sensors.

The Fiber Revolution: Undersea and Overland Cables

Much of Cambodia’s internet still depends on international connectivity. In recent years, partnerships with neighboring countries have expanded undersea cable projects.

For instance:

• A joint venture involving Cambodian operators and international partners completed an undersea cable linking Sihanoukville directly to Hong Kong, dramatically boosting international bandwidth.
• New cross-border agreements with Vietnam and Thailand mean more robust redundancy — if one line fails, data can reroute, avoiding the slowdowns Cambodians used to suffer during cable breaks.

Domestically, thousands of kilometers of fiber-optic lines crisscross the country, laid along highways and even under rivers. That’s why even small towns today can get stable broadband.

Why Competition Is So Fierce — And Good for Users

Cambodia has an unusually vibrant telecom market. Major players include:

• Metfone (owned by Viettel Group of Vietnam)
• Smart Axiata (part of Malaysia’s Axiata Group)
• Cellcard (Cambodian-owned)
• Mekongnet (focused on fixed broadband)
• SingMeng Telemedia (with Chinese investment backing)

They’re locked in a constant battle to win subscribers, offering ever-better packages: faster speeds, lower prices, unlimited night data for TikTokers and gamers, or bundled entertainment services.

It’s why even average Cambodians in 2025 might afford 50 Mbps home WiFi for just $20/month, something unimaginable a decade ago.

How Cambodians Use the Internet in 2025

So with all this connectivity, what are Cambodians doing online?

• E-commerce booms: Local platforms like Little Fashion and global giants like Shopee keep growing. Sellers stream live on Facebook every night, while buyers enjoy next-day delivery.
• Social media remains king: Cambodia consistently ranks among the world’s top in Facebook penetration, with Instagram and TikTok also huge. Influencers are not just urban; rural teens now broadcast live from rice fields or fishing boats.
• Gaming culture is thriving: From PUBG Mobile squads to online card games, Cambodians are heavy gamers. Esports tournaments now attract thousands.
• Education online: Universities run hybrid courses, and countless youths study coding, English, or even AI on YouTube and Coursera.
• Digital payments: E-wallets like Pi Pay, Wing, and TrueMoney mean fewer cash trips. People pay for groceries and send money to relatives instantly.

Key Challenges: Cybersecurity and Digital Literacy

However, the rapid rise of connectivity also brings challenges. Scams, phishing, and online fraud have increased, prompting the government to run digital literacy campaigns through schools and TV ads.

The Ministry of Interior’s cybercrime units have also become more active, cracking down on identity theft, illegal gambling, and online scams.

At the same time, many Cambodians still lack deep digital literacy. They can use Facebook fluently but may struggle with spotting fake websites or managing privacy settings.

Looking Ahead: The Next 5 Years

What might Cambodia’s internet look like by 2030?

Experts predict:

• Ubiquitous 5G in all major cities and industrial zones.
• AI-powered traffic management and smart agriculture tools reliant on stable connectivity.
• Faster undersea connections linking Cambodia directly to Japan, the Philippines, and Australia, reducing reliance on routes through Vietnam and Thailand.
• Possible emergence of local Cambodian tech startups building apps tailored to Khmer language needs, from banking to health.

In short, the foundation laid by the competitive 2025 landscape sets the stage for an even more connected digital future.

Why This Matters for Cambodians?

Whether it’s a farmer using a mobile app to check cassava prices, a teen uploading dance clips on TikTok, or a young entrepreneur running a Facebook shop that ships to the USA — reliable internet is changing lives in Cambodia.

As nPerf’s report rightly highlighted:

“The competitive landscape benefits Cambodian consumers, who have access to increasingly improved Internet services. As operators continue to invest in their networks, we can expect further enhancements in fixed Internet performance throughout the country.”

This is not just about entertainment or convenience. It’s about economic growth, education, and opportunity. A fast, stable internet unlocks new markets, helps businesses reach customers worldwide, and ensures that Cambodians are not left behind in the global digital revolution.

What Do You Think?

Are you happy with your current internet provider? Have you felt the improvements over the last few years? What digital opportunities excite you most about the future of Cambodia?

👉 Drop your thoughts in the comments below or share this article with friends on Facebook and Telegram! Let’s build a smarter, better-connected Cambodia together.

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MAFF Launches FARMBOOK App and Equips Agricultural Officials with Digital Tools.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) has taken a major step toward digital transformation in Cambodia’s agricultural sector. To strengthen data-driven decision-making and improve service delivery, MAFF officially launched the FARMBOOK App – Android, & IOS) distributed digital tablets, and initiated orientation and digital training programs for local agricultural officers. This initiative represents the government’s ongoing efforts to modernize agriculture and ensure that local officials can effectively respond to emerging challenges and opportunities.

Read more: “Visit Angkor” Mobile App! Who Should Use it?

What Is the FARMBOOK App?

The FARMBOOK App is an innovative digital platform created to enhance agricultural data collection, reporting, planning, and decision-making, particularly in rural and remote communities. Designed to serve as a bridge between farmers and government agencies, the app enables commune agricultural officers to gather real-time data, evaluate regional production trends, and support evidence-based agricultural strategies.

The launching ceremony took place at the Royal University of Agriculture (RUA) and was presided over by Dith Tina, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Distinguished guests included Kong Marry, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF); Igor Driesmans, Ambassador of the European Union to Cambodia; Stefan Messerer, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Cambodia; and more than 1,200 commune agricultural officials.

Read more: How to Buy Angkor Tickets Online? A Complete Guide

What You Need to Know

Minister Dith Tina congratulated newly appointed commune agricultural officers and reminded them of the importance of understanding national agricultural policies to better serve their communities. He highlighted that the digital tools and training would enhance their ability to assist farmers efficiently and improve agricultural outcomes.

“Commune agricultural officers must use these resources with a high sense of responsibility in providing advisory services to farmers in agricultural techniques, marketing, and economics,” Tina said.

The minister also encouraged officers to motivate farmers to form modern agricultural communities that focus on reducing production costs, improving livelihoods, and securing stable market prices.

Regarding the FARMBOOK App, Tina emphasized that the system’s development remains ongoing. MAFF is actively seeking additional funding to expand and upgrade the app to meet Cambodia’s evolving agricultural needs.

The digital training program, according to MAFF, aims to strengthen the capacity of local officials in data analysis and agricultural planning. With this training, officers can identify farmers’ needs, estimate input requirements, assess geographical conditions, and evaluate production volumes at the regional level.

Read more: What is the CHAKRA STEM App for? Cambodia’s Digital Tool for a Greener Future

All collected data will be consolidated at the national level, enabling the government to prepare strategic agricultural plans and implement timely interventions to address sector-wide challenges.

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