Internet Growth Exponential In Cambodia

Cambodians are increasingly turning to the Internet for news and information, with 12% reporting weekly Internet use (up from 4.9% in 2012), according to new data released by the Broadcasting Board of Governors and Gallup.

“Between 2012 and 2014 Internet use just took off as a result of the new broadband infrastructure in the country,” said Betsy Henderson, director of research, training and evaluation at Radio Free Asia. Of Cambodians who reported accessing the Internet in the past week, an overwhelming majority (89.2%) used a mobile phone as compared to a desktop (18.6%), laptop (15.2%), or tablet (7.6%). This signals the growing importance of mobile in the Cambodian media market: 88% of households report owning a mobile phone, and 68.8% of Cambodians report owning a personal mobile phone. Although urban residents are driving the adoption of technologies such as Internet connections, computers and tablets, there is little difference in household ownership of mobile phones between urban (93.2%) and rural (86.5%) Cambodians.