The team tasked with developing a broadband infrastructure strategy for Uganda has handed over its report to the minister of ICT.
The Uganda Broadband Infrastructure Strategy Team (UBIST), which commenced work on the strategy in June, is made up of representatives from the government, the country’s ICT regulatory body, voice and data operators, investors, consumers, civil society and academia.
The purpose of UBIST has been to come up with a well researched and informed position on the options for enabling Uganda to access international broadband infrastructure networks at the earliest opportunity to fulfill the country’s developmental objectives.
Following discussions that lasted much longer than had been envisaged, the strategy report recommends that the Ministry of ICT encourage access to as many submarine cables as possible for purposes of ensuring resilience and competition, which could have a direct impact on cost reduction.
UBIST, led by Kampala lawyer Elly Karuhanga, also recommends that the government provide support to ongoing initiatives to provide backhaul connectivity before the submarine cables are ready for commercial service. Uganda’s contribution to the East Africa Backhaul System (EABS) has been virtually completed, and members of the team reckon that the government needs to work with other East African Community countries to ensure that the EABS concept is supported and championed across the region.
“Operators and other responsible stakeholders that have taken on responsibility for providing links for backhaul fiber should be urged to fulfill their responsibilities in a timely manner,” the report states.
In order to make the Internet relevant to all Ugandans and promote usage, the report recommends a review of spectrum fees for wireless data access and a greater emphasis on local content creation. There is need to stimulate demand to ensure efficient take-up of broadband services via suitable content and applications services, promotion and awareness campaigns, it reads.
It recognizes, however, that the country urgently needs increased investment in innovation and creation of local skilled resources in order to make Uganda’s ICT industry more competitive.
When local ICT-related and supporting industries are competitive, firms will enjoy more cost effective and innovative input from the software industry, explained Karuhanga.
UBIST has recommended that a permanent secretariat be established in the Ministry of ICT to implement the National Broadband Infrastructure Strategy.
The report comes in anticipation of four fiber-optic submarine cables landing on Africa’s eastern seaboard by 2010.
