UCC, MNOs and ISPs Discuss Compliance in Public Wi-Fi Market Yesterday, we held a consultative meeting with Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and licensed Internet Service Providers (ISPs), represented by the Internet Service Providers Association of Uganda (ISPAU), to discuss the challenge of unauthorised public Wi-Fi hotspots. The meeting agreed that the practice is unlawful and should be stopped, as it raises concerns about fair competition, tax compliance, consumer protection, cybersecurity and the safe installation of network equipment. Key takeaways from the meeting: A pathway to formalisation: We are exploring possibilities of enabling eligible operators to formalise their businesses and enter the regulated market, without compromising fair competition, consumer safety or quality of service. Accountability in service delivery: Transparent billing, subscription tracking and monitoring systems are needed to improve efficiency, support fair pricing and help identify unauthorised resale of connectivity. Enforcement to continue: The ban on this illicit trade remains in place as consultations with stakeholders continue to forge a sustainable way forward. Meanwhile, consumers are encouraged to seek services from authorised providers and report concerns through UCC’s official channels. Under its statutory mandate, UCC regulates and develops Uganda’s communications sector in the public interest. Our responsibility is to support access to communications services while protecting consumers, promoting fair competition and safeguarding the integrity of communications infrastructure. #ConnectedUganda2030 #DigitalUganda @MoICT_Ug @UCC_ED @Bbossa @UgandaMediaCent

Digital inclusion requires more than access to technology; people also need the skills to use it effectively. Tomorrow, we will convene the Digital Literacy Dialogue to discuss policy and regulatory support, collaboration, innovation, and access to digital skills, with a focus on young people, women, and vulnerable groups. #ConnectedUg2030 #DigitalUganda @MoICT_Ug @JustineLumumba @UCC_ED @Bbossa

ON AIR | UCC ON WIFI HOTSPOT COMPLIANCE Our Director of Economic Regulation, Content and Consumer Affairs, Julianne R. Mweheire (@JulesMweheire), is live on @882SanyuFM’s Evening Drive to discuss Wi-Fi hotspot resale and compliance. Tune in for insights on the regulatory requirements governing internet services in Uganda. #ConnectedUg2030 #DigitalUganda @MoICT_Ug @azawedde @UCC_ED @Bbossa

Unlicensed Public WiFi Hotspots Today, we met with members of the Kampala City Traders Association (@kacita_uganda) as part of ongoing efforts to address the operation of unlicensed public WiFi hotspots nationwide. The meeting follows earlier engagements with the group and public notices issued by the Commission on the matter. It also follows last week's press conference at which UCC, in collaboration with licensed Internet Service Providers (ISPs), operators and relevant government agencies, announced enforcement against illegal public WiFi service providers. At today's meeting, @UCC_ED announced the formation of a multi-stakeholder committee to examine possible licensing arrangements for WiFi hotspot resellers, with a view to identifying a lawful framework under which eligible operators can continue doing business. The ED also announced a registration exercise for all WiFi hotspot resellers to establish their number, locations, equipment types and other relevant operational details. The exercise will help the Commission better understand the nature and scale of the businesses and inform further regulatory engagement. Speaking on behalf of the WiFi hotspot providers, KACITA Chairperson Issa Ssekito requested a suspension of the enforcement deadline to allow time for consultations. He also appealed to UCC to guide the appropriate licence or regulatory arrangement through which they could bring their businesses into compliance. The enforcement measures and ongoing engagements are intended to ensure that all providers of public internet services operate within Uganda's established legal and regulatory framework and meet the required standards of accountability, service quality and reliability. #ConnectedUg2030 #DigitalUganda @MoICT_Ug @kasujja @UgandaMediaCent @Bbossa

REMINDER: HOW SHOULD YOU DISPOSE OF YOUR OLD ICT DEVICES? Through our ICT E-Waste Collection Project, UCC works with partners and relevant stakeholders to support responsible e-waste collection and management as part of broader Government waste management efforts. Keep, sort and take them to a collection point or marked e-waste bin for safe handling, reuse, or recycling. Collection points include UCC offices in Kampala, Mbarara, Mbale, Gulu and Masindi, as well as selected public drop-off points. #UCCICTEWasteProject #DigitalUganda @OPMUganda @MoICT_Ug @JustineLumumba @azawedde @Bbossa @UgandaMediaCent

Digital inclusion goes beyond access to technology; it also means enabling locally developed solutions to respond to real community needs. UCC, through the National e-Booster Programme, under #UCUSAF, supports homegrown ICT innovations that address development challenges, expand access to digital opportunities and strengthen Uganda’s digital ecosystem. #eBooster #ConnectedUg2030 #DigitalUganda @MoICT_Ug @UCC_ED @jberonda @Bbossa

The Communications Consumer Parliament was established in 2014 as part of activities to mark World Consumer Rights Day. It responded to the need for a common platform where consumers could speak to service providers and regulators about challenges affecting them. Since its creation, the Parliament has been held in different parts of the country, taking consumer engagement beyond Kampala and bringing discussions closer to the communities being served. Past editions have provided opportunities for consumers to raise issues around service delivery, access to communications services, consumer rights and digital inclusion. They have also helped connect concerns raised by communities to responses and interventions from UCC and other stakeholders. #CCP16 #ConnectedUg2030 #DigitalUganda @MoICT_Ug @UCC_ED @JulesMweheire @Bbossa

REMARKS | 16th Communications Consumer Parliament @UCC_ED emphasised that protecting children online requires shared responsibility, with parents as the first line of guidance, supported by teachers, communities, technology providers and regulators. He stressed that the goal is not to keep children offline, but to help them use digital opportunities safely. He also called for greater use of school computer laboratories, noting that access must translate into meaningful computer learning time. #CCP16 #ConnectedUg2030 #DigitalUganda @MoICT_Ug @JulesMweheire @ConsumerUCC @Bbossa

PETITION | 16th Communications Consumer Parliament Dr Byamah B. Mutamba, Deputy ED @ButabikaNRMH, presented a petition calling for a coordinated national response to child online protection. The petition urged stronger platform accountability, accessible child-sensitive reporting and support services, digital safety training for parents and teachers, and sustained research to inform policy and regulatory interventions. #CCP16 #ConnectedUg2030 #DigitalUganda @MoICT_Ug @UCC_ED @ConsumerUCC @Bbossa