Phnom Penh: One of Cambodia’s leading telecommunications service providers, Smart Axiata, is now preparing a public statement in response to Thursday afternoon’s announcement by the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications. The MPTC has found that Smart’s treatment of its lapsed customers is unlawful. The MPTC says Smart is violating the law protecting the rights and interests of mobile phone users, by selling phone numbers without their current owners’ consent.

Smart’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Mr. Koam Tivea told EAC News that it will respond to the MPTC’s findings and that he would share it with EAC News as soon as the statement is ready.

In its own statement, the MPTC has ordered Smart to make a public apology on its website, promising that the incidents will not happen again. Smart is also required to provide compensation to original phone number owners for closing their accounts and giving numbers to new subscribers. The MPTC says, “The original owner has the right to get the phone number back to use. All individuals involved in the above cases will be held accountable before the law.”

The ministry also reminded all mobile service providers to strengthen their management and procedures for the proper distribution and sale of mobile phone SIM cards to customers to avoid such incidents. It will continue to monitor and take “the strictest action in accordance with the laws and regulations” for any mobile phone service providers who have committed such an offence.

EAC News also contacted Smart Customer Service about their process in cutting off and selling phone numbers. A customer service agent confirmed that if a particular phone number is not used for three months, then that phone number is allocated to someone else. He also told us that a three day extension is given after those three months to allow the owner to buy his or her phone number, otherwise, the number is sold onto someone else.