Metfone partners with Cambodian govn’t in COVID-19 fight

At the MoU signing ceremony between Metfone and the Cambodian Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (Photo: VNA)

Phnom Penh (VNA) –  Viettel Cambodia company, known as Metfone, has assisted the Cambodian Government with various activities in the fight against COVID-19.

As all schools nationwide have been shut down since late March, Metfone has offered free data services to all students when accessing learning portals, a 50 percent discount of Internet subscription to all students and teachers, and free telecom infrastructure and online learning platform with 500,000 users.

Metfone has also been chosen as a partner of the Cambodian Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport to launch telecom solutions for the ministry and schools across the country during the 2020-2025 period.

It is the largest project between both sides, opening up a chance for Metfone to access 3 million students and 20,000 schools at all levels since this year. 

In health care, Metfone helped the Cambodian Health Ministry send messages to the public to update epidemic situation free-of-charge. The company also provides the latest news for 9 million customers on Metfone’s website, fanpage and app.

For front-line medical staff, Metfone also offered them free data, calls and SMS.

For each of its installed app, Metfone will contribute 0.25 USD to the fund for COVID-19 prevention and control in Cambodia. After 15 days since the initiative was launched, the company drew over 100,000 customers, meaning that over 25,000 USD will be given to Cambodian authorities in the fight.

In early April, Metfone’s branch in Sihanoukville province and the Vietnamese Consulate General presented 57 gifts, including a tonne of rice to needy Vietnamese Cambodians in Preah Sihanouk province.

Its Kampong Cham, Kandal and Phnom Penh branches in collaboration with the Cambodian Health Ministry installed more than 200 panels along local roads to raise public awareness of pandemic prevention.

With its network covering  97 percent of the country, Metfone was chosen as the only Internet provider to serve Cambodia's participation in the online ASEAN Special Summit and ASEAN 3 Special Summit held by Vietnam on April 14.

Inaugurated in 2009, Metfone is now the largest telecom provider in Cambodia with a mobile market share of 42 percent and a 97 percent coverage nationwide, 11,000 Base Transceiver Stations and 23,000 km of optic cables.

It is offering jobs to 3,000 workers and 30,000 collaborators, and has so far donated about 85 million USD to social welfare services./.