Cambodia looks set to receive its first dedicated telecom regulator, with authority over spectrum and pricing issues.
The nation's prime minister has approved a draft decree ordering the formation of the Cambodia Telecom Regulator (CTR), the Phnomh Penh Postreported.
Under the plan, the regulatory roles of the Ministry of Post and Telecom will be transferred to the CTR, in a bid to make the rules governing spectrum allocations and pricing clearer and more transparent.
The regulator will have authority to deal with a range of disputes including technical, operations and network usage issues.
The CTR will also oversee spectrum allocation, to avoid a repeat of missteps in 2005 and 2010, in which overlapping frequency licenses were allocated to telecom and broadcast players respectively.
Cambodian operators have sometimes faced difficulties due to a shortage of consistent rules governing the sector.
One such company, Mobitel, has welcomed the news, telling the Phnomh Pen Post that it supports the separation of the roles of ministry and regulator.
The company expects the move to improve investor confidence in the nation's telecom market.