Smart Axiata eSIM — coverage, plans & network
Cambodia
Key highlights
- Cambodia's largest operator, part of Axiata; first in the country with a native eSIM (December 2018)
- Smart eSIM sold in the SmartNas app, on the website and in Smart shops, with an ID or passport
- Smart Traveller SIM: $5 for 30 GB, 300 on-net minutes and 30 international minutes over 15 days, at airport booths
- AviaeSIM's Cambodia eSIM runs on the Smart network with no booth and no registration
About the operator
Smart Axiata is Cambodia's largest mobile operator by subscribers, part of Malaysia's Axiata Group, and the network most visitors end up on at Phnom Penh and Siem Reap airports. It was the first operator in Cambodia to sell a native eSIM — launched in December 2018 for the iPhone XS generation — and it still sells one through its SmartNas app, its website and its shops, alongside a $5 Traveller SIM aimed squarely at tourists.
Both routes need identification and, for the SIM, a booth visit. AviaeSIM's Cambodia eSIM runs on the Smart network and is installed before the flight, which is the difference this page is about.
- Founded
- 2008
- Headquarters
- Phnom Penh, Cambodia
- Group
- Axiata Group (Malaysia)
- Network
- 4G LTE, 5G trials
How to get the official Smart Axiata eSIM: price, QR code, registration
Smart Axiata's eSIM page offers three ways to get a Smart eSIM: download the SmartNas app and choose "Purchase New eSIM", buy through the website, or visit any Smart Shop. Before buying you connect to Wi-Fi, check the phone against Smart's compatibility tool and have valid identification — a national ID or a passport — ready; after payment you tap "Activate Now" and the profile installs. The page names no fee for the eSIM itself; what it advertises is 50% off special numbers with a new eSIM until 31 December 2026 — Iron $14, Copper $19, Bronze $34. Tourists are more likely to meet the Smart Traveller SIM: $5 for 30 GB of data, 300 on-net minutes and SMS and 30 off-net and international minutes, valid 15 days, sold at the Smart booth at every international airport in Cambodia — a physical SIM, with a passport shown for registration.
AviaeSIM's prepaid Cambodia eSIM connects to the Smart network and is priced per trip on the plan cards: pay by card, receive the QR code by email in minutes, install before the flight and connect at Phnom Penh or Siem Reap with no booth and no passport copy.
Smart Axiata local SIM vs AviaeSIM
| Smart Traveller SIM / Smart eSIM | AviaeSIM travel eSIM (Cambodia) | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per GB | About $0.17 per GB on the Traveller SIM (30 GB for $5); the Smart eSIM page names no eSIM fee, only special numbers from $14 on promotion | Plans for Cambodia from $1.94; the price per GB is on each plan card |
| Activation | Traveller SIM inserted at the airport booth; eSIM bought in the SmartNas app, website or shop and activated in the app | QR code by email; installed in the phone's settings in about two minutes |
| Passport registration | Required — ID or passport for both the SIM and the eSIM | None; only an email address at checkout |
| Validity | Traveller SIM 15 days; eSIM plans in Smart's own cycles | Fixed validity per plan, counted from the first connection in Cambodia |
| Support | Smart shops, the SmartNas app and call centre | AviaeSIM support by email, before and during the trip |
| Best for | Heavy data on a budget, or a local number for calls | Short visits — landing connected without the booth queue |
Checked 26 September 2026 on smart.com.kh (Smart eSIM page and Traveller SIM page); the Traveller SIM passport rule comes from the Cambodia SIM guides — confirm at the booth.
Network & technology
Smart runs 4G LTE across Cambodia — Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and the Angkor park, Battambang, Kampot, Sihanoukville and the Koh Rong ferries — with 5G trials in the capital. Coverage along National Roads 5 and 6 is continuous; it thins in the Cardamom mountains and the far north-east around Ratanakiri. AviaeSIM's Cambodia eSIM connects to the Smart network, so a visitor sees the same coverage as a Smart SIM.
Reputation & market position
Smart is generally rated the fastest and widest network in Cambodia, ahead of Cellcard and Metfone, and its airport booths are the standard first stop for arrivals. The Traveller SIM is famously cheap — $5 for 30 GB — which is why so many guides recommend it. The trade-offs are the booth queue, the passport shown for registration, and a 15-day validity that suits a holiday but not a month.
Pros
- Native eSIM available through the SmartNas app, the website and Smart shops
- Traveller SIM at $5 with 30 GB for 15 days, sold at every international airport
- Fastest and widest 4G in the country
Cons
- Identification — national ID or passport — required to buy an eSIM or the Traveller SIM
- The Traveller SIM is physical only; the eSIM is sold with a Smart number and its own plans
- Coverage thins in the Cardamoms and the north-east
Available plans
Countries covered
Get your Cambodia eSIM from AviaeSIM — instant QR activation, no roaming fees.
How to activate
- 1Choose your destination and a plan on the Smart Axiata network
- 2Pay and receive your eSIM QR code by email
- 3Scan the QR code in your phone's settings to install it
- 4Turn on data roaming for the eSIM when you arrive
Frequently asked questions
Does Smart Axiata have an eSIM?
Yes — Smart was the first Cambodian operator to launch a native eSIM, in December 2018, and sells it today through the SmartNas app ("Purchase New eSIM"), its website and Smart shops. You need a compatible phone, Wi-Fi during setup and a national ID or passport.
How much is the Smart Axiata Traveller SIM?
$5, with 30 GB of data, 300 on-net minutes and SMS and 30 off-net and international minutes, valid for 15 days, sold at the Smart booth at every international airport in Cambodia. It is a physical SIM, not an eSIM. AviaeSIM's Cambodia eSIM on the Smart network is priced per plan on the cards.
Can I buy a Smart Axiata eSIM online before I land in Cambodia?
The SmartNas app and website sell the eSIM with identification and a Smart number, which is built for people living in Cambodia. If you want to land connected without a booth or registration, AviaeSIM's Cambodia eSIM on the Smart network is bought online, delivered by email and installed before the flight.
Smart Axiata Traveller SIM or a travel eSIM — which is better in Cambodia?
For two weeks of heavy use the $5 Traveller SIM is unbeatable per gigabyte, if you do not mind the airport booth, the passport registration and the 15-day limit. For a shorter trip, or if you want to skip the queue and keep your own SIM active, a travel eSIM on the same Smart network wins.
Does the Smart Axiata network cover Angkor Wat and the islands with an eSIM?
Yes. Smart's 4G covers Siem Reap and the Angkor park, Phnom Penh, Battambang, Kampot and Kep, Sihanoukville and the Koh Rong ferries; it thins in the Cardamom mountains and the north-east. An AviaeSIM eSIM on the Smart network sees the same coverage as a Smart SIM.
Useful links
Other operators
Information updated: 2026-09