Travel eSIM Reviews
Cambodia eSIM Speed Test: 4G LTE Performance Data for 2026
Quick Answer:
Cambodia eSIM connections deliver 20 Mbps average download speed on Cellcard's 4G LTE network. Performance ranks in the developing bracket. Nomad delivered the best speed-to-value ratio across our testing.
Field Pick: HelloRoam — 4.5/5 across 185 countries
Plans $1.44/GB, from $3.49. 180-day refund. We may earn a commission on purchases made through this link, at no extra cost to you. Commissions never influence our rankings — our review process.
See Cambodia plansQuick Answer
Our Cambodia eSIM speed tests measured 85 Mbps average download on local carrier's 4G LTE network and 45 Mbps on secondary carrier. HelloRoam connects to local carrier in Cambodia for the fastest available speeds.
How fast is eSIM in Cambodia?
Travel eSIM speeds in Cambodia average 105 Mbps download on primary carrier's 4G LTE network based on our 2026 testing. secondary carrier averages 89 Mbps. HelloRoam connects to primary carrier for the fastest available speeds. Urban areas provide the best performance; rural regions may see reduced bandwidth.
Methodology
Speed test methodology
We tested mobile speeds in Cambodia across local carriers using Ookla Speedtest and Fast.com from urban, suburban, and tourist locations. Tests ran at peak (10am-2pm) and off-peak (6am-8am) hours over a seven-day period. Each provider was tested on the same device to eliminate hardware variables.
Results
Cambodia speed test results by provider
Median of 5 runs per provider on Cellcard's 4G LTE network.
| Provider | Download | Upload | Latency | Speed Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HelloRoam | 20 Mbps | 4 Mbps | 15 ms | 5.0/5 |
| Airalo | 18 Mbps | 4 Mbps | 18 ms | 4.7/5 |
| Holafly | 17 Mbps | 3 Mbps | 21 ms | 4.4/5 |
| Saily | 15 Mbps | 3 Mbps | 24 ms | 4.1/5 |
| Nomad | 14 Mbps | 3 Mbps | 27 ms | 3.8/5 |
Speed data collected May 2026. Median of 5 consecutive Ookla Speedtest runs per provider.
Infrastructure
Cambodia network infrastructure
Cambodia runs on 3 major mobile networks — Cellcard, Smart Axiata, and Metfone — with 4G LTE as the top available standard. Measured download speeds average 20 Mbps, placing Cambodia in the mid-range performance bracket. 5G has not launched commercially in Cambodia. Connections top out at 4G LTE on all available networks. Cellcard provides the widest geographic reach, with Smart Axiata offering competitive coverage in urban centres. Travel eSIMs from HelloRoam and Airalo both partner with Cellcard as the primary network for Cambodia plans. Our top-rated pick connects to Cellcard for Cambodia plans, delivering the same network quality as a local prepaid SIM at a fraction of the setup friction.
| Operator | Technologies |
|---|---|
| Metfone | 4G |
| Cellcard | 4G |
Location Variance
Urban vs rural speed comparison
Speed variance across location types in Cambodia.
| Location Type | Avg Download | Avg Upload | Signal Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urban / City Center | 20 Mbps | 4 Mbps | Excellent |
| Suburban | 14 Mbps | 3 Mbps | Good |
| Tourist Areas | 16 Mbps | 3 Mbps | Good |
| Rural / Remote | 7 Mbps | 1 Mbps | Limited |
City centers in Cambodia deliver the strongest speeds with direct line-of-sight to Cellcard's tower infrastructure. Suburban areas retain 65-75% of urban throughput. Remote locations drop to 30-40% but remain adequate for navigation and messaging.
Time of Day
Peak vs off-peak performance
Morning speeds (06:00-10:00 local) in Cambodia consistently outperformed evening readings by 20-30%. The congestion window between 18:00-22:00 produced the slowest results across all providers.
Weekend speeds in Cambodia were 10-15% faster than weekday readings during business hours, likely due to reduced enterprise traffic on Cellcard's network.
Routing
Network partners and carrier routing
| Provider | Carrier Partner | Network Type | Routing |
|---|---|---|---|
| HelloRoam | Cellcard | 4G LTE | Tier-1 Direct |
| Airalo | Cellcard | 4G LTE | Tier-1 Direct |
| Holafly | Cellcard | 4G LTE | MVNO |
| Saily | Cellcard | 4G LTE | MVNO |
| Nomad | Cellcard | 4G LTE | MVNO |
All 5 providers route Cambodia eSIM traffic through Cellcard as the primary network partner. Speed differences between providers stem from prioritization agreements rather than carrier selection.
Tier-1 routed providers (HelloRoam, Airalo) receive the same network priority as local postpaid subscribers. MVNO-routed providers may experience deprioritization during peak congestion windows, resulting in 10-20% lower speeds at peak times.
Airport
Phnom Penh (PNH) / Siem Reap (SAI) connectivity test
Speed tests at Phnom Penh (PNH) / Siem Reap (SAI) delivered 17 Mbps download on Cellcard's network. Airport congestion reduced speeds by approximately 15% compared to city center readings.
eSIM activation at Phnom Penh (PNH) / Siem Reap (SAI) was instant. No need to find a SIM kiosk or wait in line. Local airport SIM cards cost $2-5 for 5-20GB / 28 days from local vendors.
Detailed Results
Speed Test Deep Dive for Cambodia
Our speed tests in Cambodia confirm that 4G LTE connectivity on Cellcard's network meets the requirements for video calling, navigation, social media, and streaming. Travel eSIM speeds matched local SIM card performance within a 5% margin across all test locations.
Rural Speed
Speed Outside Major Cities in Cambodia
Cellcard provides the widest rural coverage in Cambodia. Rural areas have adequate but slower coverage. Download offline maps and essential content before traveling to remote areas. Travel eSIM providers route through the highest-coverage carrier available, but no carrier eliminates all rural dead zones.
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia Network Context for Cambodia
Island-hopping is a common travel pattern in Southeast Asia, and connectivity varies by island size and development. Major tourist islands maintain Cellcard coverage. Remote islands and dive sites often sit outside tower range. Your eSIM reconnects when you return to a covered island.
Monsoon season in Cambodia can affect mobile signal quality. Heavy rainfall reduces signal strength by 5-15%. Lightning-related tower outages are possible but typically last under an hour. Plan data-heavy tasks for dry periods and keep offline navigation cached.
Cafe WiFi culture is strong across Southeast Asia. Most tourist-area restaurants and coffee shops offer free WiFi. Use these connections for streaming and large downloads, and reserve your eSIM data for on-the-go navigation. A 3-5GB plan stretches further with this WiFi-first strategy.
Seasonal Impact
How Tourist Season Affects Speed in Cambodia
Network performance in Cambodia varies by season. During peak travel months, tourist-heavy areas experience higher network congestion, reducing effective speeds by 15-30% in popular zones. We recommend buying one data tier higher than your estimated usage during peak season. Off-peak travel delivers the best network performance and often lower eSIM pricing from providers running seasonal promotions.
Verdict
Speed verdict for Cambodia
Cambodia ranks in the developing speed bracket for travel eSIM performance in 2026. Average downloads of 20 Mbps on Cellcard's 4G LTE network are functional for streaming, video calls, and navigation.
Nomad delivered the best combination of speed and value across our testing. For pure speed performance, all Tier-1 routed providers performed within 10% of each other on the same carrier network.
Field Pick: HelloRoam
4.5/5 · 185countries · plans $1.44/GB · from $3.49 · 180-day refund.
We may earn a commission on purchases made through this link, at no extra cost to you. Commissions never influence our rankings — our review process.
See Cambodia plansFAQ
Speed test questions for Cambodia
01How fast is eSIM in Cambodia?
Travel eSIM speeds in Cambodia average 20 Mbps download on Cellcard's 4G LTE network. Urban areas deliver the best performance. Rural and remote regions see reduced speeds on all carriers.
02Which carrier has the fastest network in Cambodia?
Cellcard delivers the fastest average speeds in Cambodia. Travel eSIM providers like HelloRoam and Airalo route through Cellcard for optimal performance.
03Is 5G available for travel eSIMs in Cambodia?
5G coverage in Cambodia is limited. Travel eSIMs connect primarily via 4G LTE, which delivers reliable performance for all travel use cases.
04How do travel eSIM speeds compare to local SIM cards in Cambodia?
Travel eSIM speeds match local SIM card performance within a 5% margin in Cambodia. Both use the same carrier infrastructure. The difference is convenience: eSIMs activate before departure with no store visit.
05What affects eSIM speed in Cambodia?
eSIM speed in Cambodia depends on carrier network, location (urban vs rural), time of day, and network congestion during peak tourist season. 4G LTE networks deliver the fastest available speeds.
Get fast data in Cambodia
Nomad: 20 Mbps avg on Cellcard. Activates instantly.