UCC reviews data and SMS markets

Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has concluded a review of wholesale Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) and SMS markets in Uganda.

According to a statement released by Godfrey Mutabazi, the UCC executive director, the review is line with the Commission's ethos of consultation-based regulatory reforms across various communications markets.  

Mutabazi noted that the review was premised on the increasing role of USSD and SMS services in key services such as Mobile Money and related financial services.

"The Study focused on the provision of wholesale USSD and SMS access services by mobile network operators (MNO's) to third-party mobile financial service providers and other VAS providers," the press release reads in part.

It adds: "Focus was on, how current commercial, legal and regulatory policies and practices are relating to the SMS and USSD channels, and how they affect the development of mobile financial services in Uganda."

The press release also explains that the exploratory review on key commercial bottlenecks in these markets and subsequent recommendations shall form the cornerstone of a number of regulatory amendments such as guidance on wholesale USSD/SMS contracting between aggregators and MNO's, short code Number Allocation Procedures, quality of service/experience in USSD and SMS services among others.

The draft findings and recommendations of the review were presented to a cross section of ecosystem stakeholders such as banks, aggregators, Mobile Network Operators and Development partners in a consultative forum.