PHNOM PENH: Prime Minister Hun Sen has instructed the owners of Borey, or satellite city, projects to ensure that quality telecommunication services are available to all residents who reside within the projects.

While presiding over the graduation ceremony for students of the University of Puthisastra in Phnom Penh on Wednesday morning, 17 August, Prime Minister Hun Sen stated that he had just learned that Borey projects make contract deals that grant exclusive rights to specific telecommunications companies, affecting the way residents can access telephone service and the internet.

He ordered the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications to cancel such exclusive contracts for all Borey projects, and allow other companies to improve the quality of services available to residents.

"The government is not responsible (for private contracts) and the government encourages competition, not monopoly," he said.

The Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, Chea Vandeth, first announced the end of internet monopolies at all satellite cities during a press conference at the Council of Ministers on 4 August.

He said that from 5 August onwards, exclusive internet service contracts in all Boreys will be canceled, allowing for other internet companies to provide their services to residents of the satellite cities.

He said, “Before I came [to this press conference], Prime Minister Hun Sen ordered me to cancel all exclusive internet contracts at Boreys, and let the operators understand and ask the telecommunications regulators to implement the words of Prime Minister Hun Sen, as there should be no more [internet] monopolies.”