The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) plans to register public WiFi hotspot resellers and has set up a committee to look at how they could be licensed, a week after it threatened to tear down and destroy unlicensed installations across the country.
UCC Executive Director Nyombi Thembo announced the move on Tuesday, October 20, at a meeting in Kampala with WiFi resellers from across the central region and representatives of the Kampala City Traders Association (KACITA).
The registration exercise will record each reseller’s contact details, location, type of equipment and other operating details. Thembo said the information would help the commission understand how big the business is and guide further talks.
A multi-stakeholder committee will examine possible licensing arrangements for the sector.
Thembo was careful not to promise an amnesty. He said UCC could not extend or legitimise unlawful operations, but would give the ongoing talks a chance to find solutions. He did not say whether the enforcement deadline announced last week had been suspended.
What operators want
Speaking for the hotspot operators, KACITA’s Issa Ssekito read a statement asking UCC to suspend the enforcement deadline so that consultations can continue. The operators also asked the commission to spell out exactly which licence or regulatory arrangement would allow them to operate legally.
UCC said its aim is to promote fair competition, protect consumers and keep the digital environment safe and reliable. The talks are focused on how resellers can fit within Uganda’s communications regulations while meeting standards for accountability, service quality and reliability.
Why it matters on campus
The meeting comes a week after UCC gave unlicensed operators seven days to take down their routers before a nationwide crackdown. For students in hostel areas such as Kikoni, Wandegeya, Banda and Kansanga, where pay-as-you-go WiFi is often cheaper than mobile data, a licensing route could keep that service running legally rather than see it switched off.
Until UCC confirms whether the deadline has been paused, students who rely on hostel WiFi should keep a mobile data backup for coursework and online classes.
CampusBee has asked UCC whether enforcement has been suspended and when registration will open, and will update this story.
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