The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) is seeking tighter monitoring of internet data consumption and billing systems to address pricing discrepancies and curb exploitation in the public Wi-Fi market.
UCC Executive Director Nyombi Thembo said the regulator had agreed with mobile network operators and licensed internet service providers to strengthen systems for tracking data consumption as part of efforts to address irregularities associated with unregulated internet resale.
“We have agreed to optimise monitoring tools to accurately track data consumption, address pricing discrepancies and prevent market exploitation by unregulated resellers,” Thembo said.
The move follows concerns raised by licensed internet service providers over businesses that purchase bulk connectivity from authorised operators and resell it to the public without regulatory approval or proper tax compliance.
According to Thembo, the practice distorts market prices, undermines fair competition and deprives the government of billions of shillings in revenue.
The proposed monitoring measures formed part of resolutions reached during a consultative meeting between UCC, mobile network operators and licensed internet service providers under the Internet Service Providers Association of Uganda (ISPAU).
Beyond improving billing oversight, the meeting considered ways to bring eligible internet resellers into the formal regulatory framework through clear onboarding guidelines and compliance requirements.
Thembo said the commission would also pursue enforcement against operators who remain outside the law, including disabling illegal network access points and removing unauthorised routers from public infrastructure.
He said the regulator would seek to balance enforcement with the need to protect consumers’ access to internet services and maintain market stability.
“Decisive enforcement is non-negotiable,” Thembo said.
UCC has not disclosed when the enhanced monitoring systems will be introduced or provided details of how the proposed tracking mechanisms will operate.