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Frequency of power cut / internet cut in Siem Reap

Last activity 15 June 2023 by markarmstrong75

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expatr123

Hi everybody,

I eventually plan to move to Siem Reap for a long period.
I heard about powercuts / internetcuts that can occur from time to time.

Let's define an Internet cut when internet is cut for more than 30 minutes.

On average, how many internet cuts are there per week/month ? Are there internet cut / power cut that take can take days and how often these ones occur ?

Thanks for your help,
Best regards,

Iankyddmiller

No real way of answering these questions. Power and internet cuts happen fairly often across the whole of Cambodia, the infrastructure remains poor, although getting better, but expect cuts in a third world country like Cambodia.

gulfport

an electricity cut means an internet cut by default. 

in any case the cuts in Siem Reap are very few and only last 1 to 20 minutes max from what i've seen so far.  one can expect a blackout on most hot days due to AC's consuming more power in any area.  haven't seen cuts at night time.  depends also if your accommodation has a backup generator or not.

personally i use my smartphone as a hotspot for internet and purchased a monthly data plan.  so far its working great and never had a problem.  if the wifi in my accommodation isn't fast enough or there's a blackout i just turn the mobile hotspot on - can even watch videos and download movies easily.

Cambodia is developing fast and i wouldn't call it a third world country in a decade max.

expatr123

Thank you very much for your replies.

It looks that having a power generator is the solution. I heard about 4-5 days cut, in that case the power generator is the solution because the computer battery never lasts 4-5 days.

Is there less powercuts in PP ?

bkk tea blog

I've been to Cambodia a few times, both Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, and what others have said matches my experience. 

The power goes out frequently by many other countries' standards but not every day and not for long periods of time when it does.  From what I've experienced the power would essentially never be out for a whole day.

If they've made arrangements to sustain cell service in spite of unstable power supply (as Gulfport implied) then the instability might not be so bad as long as you can use cell data service as a back-up.  Since some phones will work as a wireless router you could still use the internet on your computer for as long as a battery supply and the cell service held up, so just using a phone and a laptop should keep you going.

Jeffgeo

Gulfport - are you in the same Siem Reap as me? LOL I have offered to host a pool for us to guess in what decade EDC will be able to keep the electricity on for 24 consecutive hours.

Jeffgeo

One year report on electricity in SR - first six months not to bad. Maybe once no more than twice a week generally less than 30 minutes at a time. However, in the last few months - one four day outage (Main line from Thailand cut by truck wiping out the line and poles into the SR area). One nearly 48 hour from a thunderstorm and another almost 24 hours from wind/thunderstorm. Over the past six weeks daily multiple (3 to 4) interruptions lasting less than 30 minutes at a time.  No electricity - no modem/router, The good news though inconvenient, most all cafe's, shops and restaurants along with most all hotels and many guesthouses have a generator (electricity) and free wifi. The internet appears never to be the problem (except the usual slow speed through old. rusty and poor quality lines).

Spyke49

if you have a problem with internet cuts use mobile data,now metfone gives for 10$ 8,5 gb at H+ speed thats hspda.powercuts is becauze they are stupid,last time it fell out for 4 days because 28 concrete poles where broken by a minor storm.
if you know how they make concrete you will understand .here they use 1/5 cement and 4/5sand,they call that concrete.
other thing is,half of the elec comes from thailand and half from vietnam.if you live here  ,a generator is something very usefull,a good one like a 3500w is brtween 180$ and 300$.with a 3500w you can run an entire small house ,eccept ac

expatr123

I'm back. Thanks for the new answers I see now.
All the best,

lindascott2

Hello,

Well, I've been here in Siem Reap for just over three years now, and on average I'd say that the power goes out about twice every two weeks. Now, the LONGER "cuts" only occur a few times (at most) a year, due to religious holidays, or more often if a herd of cows run over a power line. Overall, not as bad as you may think, and getting better.
Now...as for electricity prices. If you have only, say, a fan in your room, and a laptop that you use a few hours a day, a monthly bill of $15 or so is very attainable. However, if you get a large appliance such as a fridge, expect it to double at the least. Please let me know if there are more questions...happy to help!

fionaeliza

Hey I was wondering what sort of data speeds your hotspot phone gets. Please let me know. :)

Sidewalker

If you live in Cambodia and use a computer, buy and use a good quality UPS, I live in SR and Opennet is my provider, their internet connection is seldom affected by a local brown-out.

Iamshane41

I will second buying a small ups unit for computer. Also, generators are off and on.  Depends on if owner wants to turn them on, do maintenance, or put gas in them.  Most areas you can get ice cheap to keep food cold, and open windows during outage.  Internet speed is great in phnom penh. For 15$ -25$ Month you can get modem router that will do the job. Also, keep a tablet synced, backed up with your workhandy, as they battery will work much longer in an outage. Turn off laptop or computer right away in outage.  On small ups, you can run tablet days.   I find most of my work can be done on a tablet or ipad in occasional outage.

Haris Shah

Hey fellows.

Does power cuts still happens in siem Reap or in Combodia as a whoke country as in 2023 ?

Leon French

using your phone for a hotspot solves the internet issue. Most shortages are less than 15 mins.

markarmstrong75

Rainy season passes through asia power cuts are likely. Best just to count the period as a visit to the past sans AC+ Internet and relax a little

hdgh29

I live in SR and in the past 6 months we have have two power cuts, lasting about 2 hours. New Zealand was worse. The internet went down a few times, but that was due to repair work outside.  Or else the landlord didn't pay the bill on time...who knows.

markarmstrong75

My experience " landlord didn't pay the bill on time" sounds like a valid reason. Very expensive apartment on the mid-levels in HK taught what dishonest sh!ts they can be,

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