Overview of the Uganda’s
Telecommunications sector; Data
Collection
Umar Ssemakula,
Uganda Communications Commission
ussemakula@gmail.com
ussemakula@ucc.co.ug
Outline of Presentation

Significance of Data Collection

Legal Environment

Data collection instruments

Collaboration institutions

Dissemination

Challenges

Proposal
Data Collection in Uganda
2
Significance of Data Collection


Data is a key input in a range of regulatory decisions such as;
 Interconnection costing study
 Market definition and Assessment studies
 Anti- Trust investigations
 Mergers & Acquisitions exercises
Providing international organizations with data on the required indicators reflecting
the image of the Country.

Supports decision makers with up-to-date and accurate ICT data to help them in
setting up policies and strategies pertaining to ICT sector.

Helps in the monitoring ICT usage within different sectors and across the country.
Data Collection in Uganda
3
Supportive legal environment
The
Commission is mandated by sub sections 5 (b) of the Uganda Communications Act
“to monitor, inspect, license, supervise, control and regulate communication services”
while section 44 of the same prescribes annual reporting requirements for licensees in a
manner determined by the Commission.
In
addition, various licenses issued by the Commission have reporting and record
keeping requirements clauses within them. These include;



Section 17 of the PIP license that prescribes record keeping and reporting requirements for
PIP Licensees
Section 12 of the PSP license that prescribes record keeping and reporting requirements for
PSP licensees
Section 7.16 of the NTO license
·
Data Collection in Uganda
4
The regulatory reporting guidelines




The guidelines prescribe minimum reporting requirements necessary to achieve the
Commission’s regulatory and policy advisory functions.
They seek to ensure that licensees provide detailed and consistent records that easily
translate into useful information for the execution of the Commission’s functions and
obligations
This guideline defines the regulatory reporting requirements for licensed service
providers including and not limited to;
· National Telecommunications Operators
· Public Service Providers
· Public Infrastructure Providers
· National Postal Operator (Major Operator)
· International Courier Licensees
· Regional courier licensees
· Domestic courier licensees
Broadcasting, multimedia and infrastructure reporting requirements are being
developed
Data Collection in Uganda
5
Content of the guidelines


Definitions and indicators in the guidelines are mainly derived from the ITU- EGTI
indicators handbook
Tracking a range of indicators in different sectors such as;
 Usage


Access





Voice and Data Traffic (domestic & international traffic)
Coverage
BTS
Technology tracking (2G, 3G ,4G emergent services)
Infrastructure
Affordability



Prices
Promotions
Price basket
Data Collection in Uganda
6
Content of the guidelines cont’

Financial reporting
Profitability
 Investment
 Liquidity
 solvency

Data Collection in Uganda
7
Reporting schedules and Timelines
Quarterly operational Report
There are 4 Quarters defined in the year under the guidelines.


All licensees are implied to submit operational reports on a quarterly basis by the
25th day of the month following a given quarter.
Annual Operational Reports
The information specified herein for annual reporting, covering the period January to
December is submitted by the 25th February of the following calendar each year.

Financial Reports
Licensees shall be obliged to submit their annual financial report and audited books of
account at most four (4) calendar months after end of the declared end of their
financial year.

Data Collection in Uganda
8
Collaborations and other sources of information

National Revenue Authority


National statistical office





Mobile money statistics
Ministry of ICT


Telecom sector GDP contribution
Central Bank of Uganda


Share telecommunication revenue collected in form of VAT, EXCISE & PAYE
Policy and strategic planning
Ministry of trade
Ministry of finance planning and Economic development
Investment authority
Specialized surveys

Cleaning and storage
Data Collection in Uganda
9
Dissemination of Information






Quarterly reports
Annual market reports
Financial performance reports
Communication journals
Ad hoc data requests from local, regional and international organizations
Key indicators webpage ( facts and figures on the UCC website) see screen shot
below
Data Collection in Uganda
10
Dissemination using the UCC website
Data Collection in Uganda
11
Challenges

Late quarterly report submissions

Some indicators are not static (rapid changes in technology) mvnos

Regulatory needs are evolving such as sim card registration indices.

Incomplete data from operators
Data Collection in Uganda
12
Proposals

Provisions in the regulations (strong regulations to include fines for defaulters)

Continuous discussions on communication indices (local, regional and international)WTIS,EGTI,EGH,EACO working groups among others

Online data collection reporting for operators should be emphasized.
Data Collection in Uganda
13
The UCC Data Storage System

This is the regulatory bank where all licensed operators performance is recorded for a
given quarter is stored.
It consists of all sectors such as, Mobile, fixed, internet and data, postal, couriers,
QOS, infrastructure plus costing and financial variables
Revamp of the ucc databank for operators to submit data online

Here below are snapshots of the regulatory storage system


Data Collection in Uganda
14
Data Collection in Uganda
15
Data Collection in Uganda
16
Data Collection in Uganda
17
18
Data Collection in Uganda