Cambodia imports fiber optic cables for smart buildings

Cambodia is actively expanding its fiber optic network, including in-building deployments, to support smart buildings and nationwide digital connectivity.

National Fiber Optic Expansion

Cambodia has significantly increased its fiber optic infrastructure over the past five years, with the network doubling from under 20,000 km in 2020 to over 40,000 km in 2025. This expansion includes both terrestrial and submarine cables, with new international links connecting Cambodia to Hong Kong, enhancing redundancy and bandwidth capacity. The total international bandwidth has grown to nearly 900 Gbps, while cross-border terrestrial bandwidth has tripled to over 1.

7 Tbps, supporting high-speed internet and smart building applications.

Key Players and Partnerships

The Cambodia Fiber Optic Communication Network (CFOCN) is a major provider of fiber infrastructure, operating alongside other licensed networks such as Viettel Cambodia and Telecom Cambodia.

CFOC

N has partnered with Smart Axiata to enhance internet connectivity, ensuring reliable fiber-optic transmission for both urban and rural areas. These partnerships facilitate the deployment of high-capacity fiber networks that can support smart building technologies, including IoT systems, automated controls, and high-speed data services.

In-

Building Fiber Services

Private companies like Angkor Data Infrastructure provide licensed in-building fiber optic cable services, covering planning, implementation, leasing, and maintenance for commercial and residential buildings. This enables smart buildings to integrate advanced digital systems, including energy management, security, and communication networks, leveraging the national fiber backbone for connectivity. Ongoing Projects and ApprovalsCFOCN has proposed underground fiber optic cable expansions across nine provinces, including Kandal, Kampot, and Sihanoukville, to extend high-speed internet to less developed regions.

These projects involve careful planning to ensure compliance with public infrastructure regulations and long-term safety and efficiency. Previous AIIB-funded projects have also supported the development of fiber backbones and metro networks, improving both outdoor and indoor coverage for telecom services.

Implications for Smart Buildings

The combination of national fiber expansion, strategic partnerships, and in-building fiber services positions Cambodia to support smart building initiatives effectively. High-speed, reliable fiber connectivity enables advanced building automation, IoT integration, and digital services, aligning with the government's vision for a digital nation and sustainable urban development.