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What’s this about Opennet being shut down next week because they owe $6 million?

Sounds like FB nonsense but…


Edited to add VOD story.
The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications will temporarily shut down King Technologies (#Opennet) next week after the Cambodian internet service provider refused to pay a debt of about $ 6.6 million.

#VODKhmer

ក្រសួងប្រៃសណីយ៍ និងទូរគមនាគមន៍ នឹងចុះទៅបិទក្រុមហ៊ុន King Technologies (#Opennet) ជាបណ្ដោះអាសន្ននៅសប្ដាហ៍ក្រោយនេះ បន្ទាប់ពីក្រុមហ៊ុនដែលផ្ដល់សេវាអ៊ីនធឺណិតនៅកម្ពុជាមួយនេះមិនព្រមចូលទៅទូទាត់បំណុលប្រមាណជា៦,៦លានដុល្លារអាមេរិក។

#VODKhmer

I just spoke to them and they said they will have no service interruption

nemo wrote: ↑Fri Feb 18, 2022 8:04 pm I just spoke to them and they said they will have no service interruption

Of course they’d say that!

Yeah it's related to this:

timmydownawell wrote: ↑Fri Feb 18, 2022 11:40 am Looks like Opennet could be in trouble as well.

I saw a screen grab from VOD News in Khmer saying they'd be shut down next week over the debt, but have been unable to find the actual article. Has it been deleted?

Release from the Telecoms Regulator:

Opennet, saddled with $6 million debt to Government may be shut down next week

The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications has taken action against internet service provider King Technologies known as Opennet. The Telecommunications Regulator of Cambodia will issue a letter suspending the company’s license, and next week the Ministry will shut down the company temporarily.

This is according to Sovisothy, Secretary of State and spokesman for the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications.

He said that the ministry had found more than $6 million in debt was owed by King Technologies (Opennet) from 2017 to 2019 and additional contributions to the USO and CBRD. A total of more than $1.8 million, which was not declared from 2018 to 2020.

According to MPTC, Opennet did not fully repay the debt, paying only $1.3 million and evading the remaining $6.6 million.

According to a letter from the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, a joint statement last week stated that Kingnet Technology (Opennet) is still obliged to pay its debts to the state.

According to the announcement, the two ministries have set a period of 7 (seven) days from the date of issuance of the notice for the company to fulfill the obligation to pay the debt of Revenue Share and other debts that the company still owes.

In the event that King Technology (Opennet) continues to evade paying its debt to the state, the two ministries will take action to suspend the company’s license and implement Article 78 of the Telecommunications Law, as well as other measures in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501028065/ ... next-week/

Has King Technologies made any public statement or denial?

It looks like they can't - or maybe won't - pay up. The may well conclude that the profits from their activities over the last 4 years don't warrant a further $6m payment, owed or not, to a government department that does nothing but hold out its hands.

Unless these companies can make a reasonable commercial profit after their government shakedowns and general greasing of many many palms, they might well fold up their tents and invest elsewhere.

How many providers are out there now?

Patiently awaiting for promotions from other service providers to nab the old customers.

Who else can use my fibre optic hookup?

bobagubi wrote: ↑Sat Feb 19, 2022 10:52 am Patiently awaiting for promotions from other service providers to nab the old customers.

Who else can use my fibre optic hookup?

Judging by what happened to Digi/SingMeng, they either got taken over - or had their customer base bought - by Execom. So their plans are supposedly being continued. So I guess another internet provider will probably pick up Opennet's base for a song. Pity really because Digi and Opennet were the two "fairly reliable" budget providers.

*admittedly I'm not sure what happened to SingMeng. No statements, articles, nor regulator threats about them. Maybe it was just a takeover. Not sure why it was done on the quiet.

timmydownawell wrote: ↑Sat Feb 19, 2022 12:57 pm

bobagubi wrote: ↑Sat Feb 19, 2022 10:52 am Patiently awaiting for promotions from other service providers to nab the old customers.

Who else can use my fibre optic hookup?

Pity really because Digi and Opennet were the two "fairly reliable" budget providers.

If Opennet and Digi were "fairly reliable" providers then I'd really hate to see what you would consider as an inferior service