The document provides an overview of the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) and its recent merger with the Broadcasting Council (BC) to form an interim regulatory body. It outlines the establishment and mandates of UCC and BC. It then discusses the merger directive in 2010, the interim board appointed, the organizational structure and functional areas of the merged entity. It also summarizes key achievements in the telecom market and major regulatory milestones. Finally, it outlines major planned activities and ongoing challenges faced by the commission.

1. PRESENTATION TO ICT COMMITTEE MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT 12 TH AUGUST, 2011, KAMPALA A MACRO OVERVIEW OF THE COMMISSION By Executive Director Uganda Communications Commission

2. OUTLINE Establishment of UCC and BC UCC – BC Merger Vision, Mission and Values Overall organisational structure Key achievements Market Performance Regulatory Milestones Major planned activities Major challenges Looking Ahead Conclusion

3. Establishment of UCC and BC UCC Established in 1998 by the Uganda Communications Act (Cap 106 Laws of Uganda) Mandated to license, monitor, inspect, regulate and ensure general improvement and equitable distribution of communications services. BC Established to implement the provisions of the Electronic Media Act of 1996 (now Cap. 104 Laws of Uganda) Principal goal is to develop a modern broadcasting sector and infrastructure in Uganda.

4. UCC – BC Merger Following a cabinet decision of 25 th April 2007 , H.E. the President of the Republic of Uganda directed the Minister of ICT under Article 99(I) of the 1995 constitution of the republic of Uganda, to have UCC and BC merged. Ministerial Directive of 6 th Dec , 2010 which operationalized the merger under the following guidelines; Establishment of a transitional body merged at both the Board and Administrative levels the transitional body to oversee the discharge the functions of the BC and the UCC in accordance with the Electronic Media and the Communications Act the Communications Act and the Electronic media Act continue to exist and provide the regulatory framework for regulating the transitional merger until a new Converged Legislation is enacted

5. The Interim Board The following persons were appointed by the Minister of ICT to the Interim Board; Dr. Dorothy Okello Dr. Catherine Omaswa Mrs. Miriam Kawuma Mrs. Maria Kiwanuka Mr. Edgar Tabaro Mr. Abdi Karim Moding Mr. Charles Lwanga Auk Mr. Godfrey Mutabazi Dr Dorothy Okello is the Board Chairperson

6. Vision, Mission and Values Mission Effectively regulate the communications sector in order to facilitate growth of communications services for sustainable development Vision A Uganda in which development is facilitated through universal access to communications services largely delivered through the private sector Values The Commission upholds the values of; Customer focus, Corporate Social Responsibility, Integrity, Professionalism, Teamwork, Environmental awareness and Equal opportunities

7. Organisational Structure Comprises of Nine departments as shown below; Office of the Executive Director Commission Secretary and Legal Affairs Internal Audit Competition and Corporate Affairs Technology and Licensing Finance Human Resource and Administration Rural Communications Development Fund (RCDF) Broadcasting The HoDs constitute the Top Management Team (TMT) which advises the ED on cross departmental, strategic, policy and other administrative matters.

8. Organisational Functional Areas

9. Organisational Functional Areas

10. Organisational Functional Areas

11. Key Achievements Market Performance Regulatory Milestones

12. Market Performance

13. Fixed and Mobile Subscriptions Increased growth in Fixed and Mobile subscriptions have been realised over the years. Estimated total number of Mobile subscriptions is 16,015,959 and 351, 900 for fixed phone users as at March, 2011. Growth is attributed to the increase in competitive pricing strategies spearheaded by the new entrants

14. Internet Subscriptions and Users The entry of new service providers, increased capacity investment in broadband by the telcoms have resulted in increased internet penetration. By the end of Dec 2010, fixed internet subscriptions had risen to an estimated 35,000 connections. Wireless / Mobile internet Subscriptions had rose to 600,000 mobile accounts. The growth in internet subscriptions resulted in an estimated 4 million internet users countrywide., translating into a penetration of 12 persons per 100.

15. Post and Courier service Providers June 07 June 08 June 09 June 10 June 11 Major Postal 1 1 1 1 1 International Courier 5 6 6 7 7 Regional Courier 6 6 8 8 9 Domestic Courier 6 8 8 14 14

16. RCDF ACHIEVEMENTS AS AT 21-01-2010 # PROGRAMME AREA COMPLETED UNDER DEVP’T 1 Internet Points of Presence 76 - 2 Internet Cafes 55 53 3 ICT Training centres 67 1 4 Web Portals 78 0 5 Public Pay Phones 3349 750 6 Research Projects 4 1 7 Postal support Projects 35 - 8 Multi-purpose Community Telecentres 13 - 9 Schools ICT projects 108 100 10 Health ICT projects 43 53 11 Call centres - 1

17. Regulatory Milestones

18. Key Regulatory Milestones in the recent past; Merger of UCC – BC to address convergences in technologies and regulation Adoption of new competition assessment and interconnection framework Initiation of a pilot project on the post code system Adoption of new numbering Plan Opening of new spectrum bands

19. Key Regulatory Milestones in the recent past Completion of UCC House, Bugolobi The extension of services to schools and health institutions under the RCDF project Acquisition of a fully fledged spectrum monitoring units Establishment of consumer protection mechanisms

20. Major planned activities Analogue to Digital Migration SIM card Registration Competition Frameworks – Interconnection, Whole sale & Retail Pricing , Account Separation Post Code Development Number portability

21. Major Challenges promoting fair competition among new entrants, smaller players and operators with significant market power. sustaining the attractiveness of the communications market to both local and foreign investments in view of the general low income levels and the domestic macro economic environment. efficiently managing scarce resources such as radio spectrum. achieving universal access to postal and telecommunications services

22. Major Challenges v. keeping abreast with rapidly changing technologies and industry trends empowering consumer base and positioning the consumers to play a greater role in the development of the sector Continued institutional capacity building to help UCC meet its challenges in a changing regulatory environments Delays in adoption of merger legislation Harmonisation of the telecom licensing regimes (Pre and Post Liberalisation

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