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UCC asks telecoms to remove roaming charges [New Vision (Uganda)](New Vision (Uganda) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) By David Mugabe UGANDA Communications Commission (UCC), the telecom regulator, is asking operators to renegotiate with their partners across Kenya and Rwanda to enable seamless implementation of the One Network Area directive, which removes roaming charges within the three states. UCC chief Godfrey Mutabazi has explained that the three governments have instituted the termination rates in all countries to be $10 cents (about sh260) and telecoms are free to play around this figure. The new termination rates means that for instance, a telecom operator in Uganda routing its subscribers' calls to another operator in Kenya, the rates should not exceed sh260. "They can play in that range ($10 cents) and say make it 7 cents and make a profit of 3 cents," noted Mutabazi in a phone call, from the Netherlands. Carrying a local sim card to a neighbouring country and using it to make calls has been one of the most expensive communication undertakings in the region with all operators charging different. In some cases, subscribers are even charged for receiving calls. The development is a result of a decision by the Northern Corridor member states of Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda and the South Sudan adapted at a regional telecommunications framework for the implementation of a "One Network Area". This was agreed during the 5th heads of state summit for the Northern Corridor integration projects held in Nairobi, Kenya on May 2, 2014. RELATED STORIES: MTN launches regional network COPYRIGHT (c) 2014 NEWVISION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info). |