Regional communications regulators to meet telecoms over roaming calling rates

The development was reached during a two-day Heads of Communications Regulatory Authorities meeting held in Kigali, Rwanda, between September 14 and 15.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance in Uganda, Aminah Zawedde, and the chair of the ICT Infrastructure Development Cluster under the Northern Corridor Integration Projects (NCIP) said the meeting agreed to engage operators on how to deal with emerging issues.

"We have agreed that we are going to go back to the operators and engage them in our countries, and then get to know what their experiences are about this [ONA] framework," Zawedde said at the end of the summit held at the Four Points Hotel.

Zawedde, however, noted that the operators’ feedback will not affect the framework objectives, whose original position is that the receiver of calls during the roaming process should not be charged.

"As we look at whatever challenges could have cooked up for the last nine years, we still want to maintain that the receiver will not be charged for receiving roaming calls within the region, but how we ensure that this happens comfortably amongst the operators in the region is the gist and focus of this discussion," she explained.

All member countries, including Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, and Uganda, are implementing the framework, with some reporting challenges, according to Zawedde.

"There are some countries that have submitted challenges that the operators have put forward to them in terms of implementation, and we are saying that if one country is saying that they have challenges, maybe other countries are also experiencing challenges that we need to look into as a region instead of tackling one challenge at a time because when you look at one country at a time, then we shall probably be solving silo challenges. We want to solve them holistically because all these operators are working in the same space and, therefore, should be given level ground on how to operate competitively within the region," she further explained.

ONA requires mobile network operators to renegotiate and reduce wholesale tariffs Pulse Live Uganda

The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) Executive Director, Eng. Irene Kaggwa-Sewankambo, said Uganda has fully implemented the framework.

"In terms of what has really been achieved, the roaming calling rates have almost 90% reduced; the traffic and trade in the region have also increased because now people are more comfortable roaming. Once you have communication, life becomes easier," said Eng. Kaggwa, who possesses vast experience in the ICT sector, regulation, and implementation in various aspects, including internet development and licencing.

She added, "We have students studying across the countries, but even traders—importantly, traders—are able to move around the region. So you don't have to worry that I have to go to the other country, then I have to first get a new SIM card for that country, yet I'm only going to spend one or two days or a week; you can now use your phone all across the region."

"If you go to a country and you realise that by switching on your phone you are going to be charged highly, you are likely to switch it off," said Kaggwa.

She added, "But if you are part of ONA, that means that you are less worried about receiving and making calls, and therefore, additional revenue will come from the fact that you will accept to use communication during that period. Rather than have roaming charges restrict ease of communication as people move across the region, the ONA sought to reduce the barriers in that respect."

Kaggwa said the meeting also resolved to review the framework owing to differences in tax regimes and other challenges, including grey traffic, which degrades the quality of calls and erodes revenue revenues for regional economies.

ONA requires mobile network operators to renegotiate and reduce wholesale tariffs and a waiver of excise taxes and surcharges on incoming voice traffic while establishing wholesale and retail price caps on outbound ONA traffic.

The officials agreed that achieving a one-area network will facilitate trade within the block through cheap calling rates Pulse Live Uganda

Amb. Richard Kabonero, the National Coordinator of Northern Corridor Integration Projects (NCIPs), said that the harmonisation of calling rates will support and facilitate the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area.

He said that the ONA framework is just one of the many projects under the Northern Corridor Integration Projects that seeks to enhance competition, improve access to cost-effective services, and secure ICT services.

Amb. Kabonero explained that NCIPs seek to speed up the integration of regional economies but also drastically cut the cost of doing business by positioning the region as a leading investment destination.

"We've made progress on the roaming charges plus the cost of communication, but we are not satisfied. We think there should be integration of payment systems in other areas," Amb. Kabonero said during an interview.

He said that EAC countries made a joint commitment in 2014 to create an ONA for the four economies of Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, and Uganda.

Achieving a one-area network will facilitate trade within the block through cheap calling rates. ONA caps cross-border traffic calling rates at $0.5 per minute and eliminates mobile roaming charges.

Key among the other projects under the NCIPs include infrastructure, power generation and transmission, and ICT.

"Next month we have a very important meeting on extending the Standard Gauge Railway from Naivasha to Malaba, Malaba to Kampala, and all the way to the border of Rwanda," he explained.

He said that whereas all member states aren’t on the same level in the implementation of the framework, a lot has been achieved under the framework.

The European Union is facilitating the revival of Northern Corridor Integration Projects to help the region cut the cost of doing business.