Communications Set Up - What To Look For

More and more people in Cambodia are using the internet. In fact, according to the Internet World stats the number of internet users in Cambodia doubled in 2011 achieving an impressive 3.1 per cent of the population. That means that almost half a million people are now using the internet in Cambodia. While internet growth is great for the country - and great for Communication and Information Technology suppliers like ourselves here at Ezecom - it could make things more complicated for the end user such as yourself - or indeed anyone looking to start up a new business or operation in Cambodia. After all when an industry shows impressive growth - as ours is - more and more companies set up trying to cater to that demand - and growth. And while it is good to have choice, it is also important to know what you - as a business - need and want when looking for a communications technology supplier. 

With that in mind - here are a few tips: 

Internet and Email - In today's world internet and email are the workhorses that keep any office moving. They are now our primary means of communicating - intra-office, inter-office and inter-company. In Cambodia having a good, solid, reliable internet service provider is all the more important because it is often the fastest and most efficient means of communicating with staff, regional head offices, clients and suppliers. In Cambodia often when the internet is down so is your business. When looking for an internet service provider I would recommend looking for one that is based on a fibre optic backbone that offers full redundancy as well as high speed up- and down-loads. Paying a little extra for reliability, redundancy and speed could save you money in the long run. 

For those with slightly more technical acumen (and even those without) you may want to consider asking for MPLS. One of the best ways to achieve reliability and security is by using MPLS - or Multiprotocol Label Switching as it is known in the trade. As a business operator in Cambodia you do not really need to know how MPLS works. Suffice it to say that an MPLS network effectively breaks up the information (data) you are using into separate packets and attaches identification to each packet named “Labels”. These packets are then joined at the destination to re-create the whole information. By doing so the reliability, security and overall efficiency of the network is improved. 

Phones and Voice Calls - A busy offers requires constant, reliable communications - often with regional head offices or clients and suppliers overseas. For this reason you will require a communications system that offers reliable and affordable international phone calls. One of the most cost-effective ways of making international calls is VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol). Often this is the cheapest way to make reliable overseas calls with rates as low as 1 cent per minute (at the time of writing) for certain destinations. Some operators - such as Ezecom - offer special VOIP phones. They can be rented for as little as USD $4 per month or purchased for USD $70 (at the time of writing). 

Data Storage and Disaster Recovery - In today's computer-driven world with soft copies, files and spreadsheets it is easy to clog up servers, computers and hard drives fast. It is also easy to lose critical documents when computers and systems crash - as they sometimes do. In extreme circumstances it is even possible to lose the whole office - the ability to maintain operations. While certain industries and businesses have more of a need for disaster recovery and data storage than others it is certainly something that every business should spend time considering. After all what would happen if your business grinds to a halt for a few days or you lose your only copy of a mission-critical document. It does not bear thinking about. But nowadays you don't have to. In today's Cambodia there are companies that offer Data Storage facilities starting for as little as USD $70 per month (depending on the amount of storage required). There are also companies that offer Disaster Recovery that can get your office up and running within hours - and all at a cost of just USD $150 per month. Think of it as peace of mind. 

While there are many 'moving parts' required for setting up a business or office in Cambodia from finding office space to opening bank accounts and registering a business, I would recommend that new companies and businesses spend sufficient time researching their communications requirements. And if time really is of the essence I would suggest any new company requests a proposal from local Information and Communication Professionals such as Ezecom. After all getting it right from the start can save you time and money in the future.

Written by Paul Blanche-Horgan, CEO, Ezecom