Cambodia begins to relocate cable network from aerial to underground

[XINHUA]

PHNOM PENH -- Cambodia's Minister of Posts and Telecommunications So Khun on Thursday appealed to telecommunication operators and service providers to relocate their aerial cables to underground ones in order to improve the quality of services and the beauty of cities and towns.

"At present, the cabling quality of the outside plants network in our cities and towns has not yet met the acceptable condition-- it is fragile, improper cabling and messy as if it is a spider's web," he said on Thursday during a seminar on reforming of all kinds of telecommunication cable network.

"It affects to public order and safety and lowers the beauty of the cities and towns," he added.

The relocation from the aerial cables to the underground ones would be enhanced the quality of services, sustainable, secured and safe infrastructure for telecommunication operators.

"I hope that all telecommunication operators and service providers will be ready to relocate the aerial cables to underground cables," said the minister.

Cambodia Fiber Optic Communication Network (CFOCN), a company that received the full license from the government of Cambodia in 2006 to construct and operate FOC networks in Cambodia, said that so far, the firm has built 59 percent of the underground cables nationwide.

"To date, we have accomplished underground FOC networks for more than 5,000 kilometers out of the total constructed plan of 8, 500 kilometers throughout Cambodia," said Steven Cao, chief executive officer of CFOCN.