Cambodia's internet connectivity could be disrupted if a fiber optic cable, such as the Sihanoukville-Hong Kong submarine cable or national networks, is cut, affecting both international and domestic communications.

Key Fiber Optic Infrastructure in Cambodia

Cambodia's internet relies on a combination of submarine and terrestrial fiber optic cables. The main submarine cables include the Malaysia-Cambodia-Thailand (MCT) and Asia-Africa Europe 1 (AAE-1) systems, which land at Sihanoukville and Mittapheap, providing international connectivity . A new state-owned Sihanoukville-Hong Kong submarine cable is under construction, expected to be completed by July 2025, which will further enhance international bandwidth . Domestically, CFOCN, Telecom Cambodia, and Viettel Cambodia operate the national fiber optic backbone .

Potential Impact of a Cable Cut

A cut in a submarine cable or major terrestrial line can lead to:

• Slower internet speeds and increased latency for both businesses and consumers.
• Disruption of international communications, including cloud services, online banking, and streaming platforms.
• Temporary rerouting of traffic through alternative cables, which may not have sufficient capacity to handle peak demand, causing congestion .

Restoration and Mitigation

Operators typically respond to cable cuts by:

• Deploying repair ships for submarine cables or maintenance crews for terrestrial lines.
• Rerouting traffic through other submarine cables like MCT or AAE-1 to maintain partial connectivity .
• Upgrading infrastructure: CFOCN has ongoing projects to expand underground fiber networks across nine provinces, which may improve redundancy and reduce future disruptions .

Conclusion

While a fiber optic cable cut in Cambodia can temporarily affect internet speed and reliability, the presence of multiple submarine cables and national networks provides some resilience. The ongoing Sihanoukville-Hong Kong cable project and domestic expansions by CFOCN are expected to strengthen Cambodia's connectivity and reduce the impact of future outages .