JUBA, (Reuters) – South Sudan shut down mobile operator Vivacell’s service overnight, demanding $66 million in licence fees and locking out 900,000 subscribers.
Vivacell, which is owned by Lebanon’s Fattouch Investment Group, is one of three mobile phone operators in South Sudan – competing with South Africa’s MTN and Kuwait’s Zain.
Last week, the government gave the company seven days to comply with unspecified rules and regulations and pay its licence fee or its operations would be shut down.
“They have no licence. We want them to pay a sum of $66 million dollars for their licence and up to now they have not paid,” Information Minister Michael Makuei Lueth told Reuters late on Tuesday.
International traffic had already been switched off last week, angering customers.
“It is abrupt and it has disorganized my business communication. I am losing contact (with overseas suppliers) by switching to another line, which is very painful,” said Khalid Ramadhan, a Juba businessman who imports mobile phones and computers from places like Dubai.
