Communication in Cambodia
General information
To make a call from Cambodia to France, dial 001 + 33 + the phone number of your contact, omitting the initial zero (i.e., do not include the 0 in 06 XX XX XX XX). To call Cambodia from France, dial 00 + 855 + the city code without the 0 + the phone number of your contact.
Landline Phones
The dialing code to call Cambodian numbers is +855. There are public phone booths in major cities such as Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. You can use them with prepaid cards sold in hotels or specialty stores. You can also make calls directly from a post office. The cost is approximately 12,000 Riels per minute for calls to Europe. Here are the area codes for some major cities:
- Phnom Penh : 11
- Siem Reap : 63
- Sihanoukville : 34
- Battambang : 53
Mobile Phones
The telephone network in Cambodia has been developing quite well in recent years. To make calls in Cambodia, all you need to do is purchase a Cambodian SIM card. The prices at the airport are in line with those in the shops in the city. Moreover, all the operators are lined up in the same area, which makes it easy to shop around and compare without having to travel from shop to shop! We recommend one of the following two operators:
- Cellcard : better for internet usage
- Smart : better for calls
The price of the SIM card ranges from $0.50 to $5, including or excluding a small credit for usage. You will just need to present your passport to obtain one. However, be cautious when buying SIM cards at the airport, as some are much more expensive than the standard prices! For example, with Cellcard, the "tourist" SIM is free, but the $3 credit only gives you 3 GB of data. The ideal option is to ask for a standard SIM (2,000 Riels or $0.50), then recharge it with $2 or $3, and subscribe to the Big Love plan, which provides 10 GB for $1 per week. Each week, $1 will automatically be deducted from your credit to renew the plan. To top up your account, simply buy recharge cards (e.g., $1, $2, etc.) when your credit runs out. These recharge cards are available in most small shops. The validity of the credit depends on the recharge amount. For example, a $1 recharge is valid for 1 week with Cellcard; $2 for 2 weeks, $5 for 1 month, etc. Don't hesitate to ask the agent selling the SIM card for more details.
Internet
There are many internet cafés in the major cities. The cost typically ranges from 2,000 to 9,000 Riels per hour. Additionally, most hotels, guesthouses, bars, and restaurants offer free Wi-Fi, with varying connection quality.
Post Offices
Post offices in Cambodia are quite efficient. To send a simple letter, such as a postcard or a letter to Europe, it costs around 5,000 Riels ($1.25) and takes about 2 weeks to reach its destination.