Metfone, Viettel’s mobile unit in Cambodia, signed an agreement with the country’s state-owned operator to share IT infrastructure and start 5G trials this month, VNExpress reported.

Telecom Cambodia and Vietnam-headquartered Viettel also agreed to jointly fund projects covering IoT, smart cities, e-government, e-health, e-education and e-agriculture, the newspaper wrote.

Metfone is the market leader with a 48 per cent share by subscribers, Q2 data from GSMA Intelligence showed. Nearly 11 per cent of its more than 10 million subscribers are on 4G plans.

Earlier this week, rival Smart Axiata, with a 37 per cent market share, said it showcased a live 5G trial using a Huawei device at one of its retail shops in Phnom Penh.

Viettel’s parent company runs mobile operations in nine countries in addition to Cambodia and Vietnam, where it is the market leader with a 41 per cent market share.

After receiving a trial licence in January to use the 3.8GHz and 28GHz bands for tests in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Viettel said it made the first 5G call in Vietnam in mid-May.