Michael Minges and Tim Kelly

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Uganda Internet
Case Study

• Michael Minges and Tim Kelly

The views expressed are those of the authors and
do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the
ITU or its membership. The authors can be
contacted at Michael.Minges_at_itu.int and
Tim.Kelly_at_itu.int.
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ITU Internet Case Studies

• Seek to understand factors which accelerate or
  retard the development of the Internet in
  different environments
• Obtain market information
• Through comparative analysis, advise policy
  makers and regulatory agencies
• Analyze spread of Internet in different sectors
  of the economy such as health, education and
  commerce as well as government
• The first round of studies include Uganda, Nepal,
  Egypt and Bolivia.

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Uganda Overview
Source ITU from World Bank, UBOS data.
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Telecom policy

• Reformed, privatized and liberalized
• Private mobile operator
• CelTel, May 95
• Regulator created
• UCC, 1998
• Second network operator introduced
• MTN Uganda, Oct. 98
• Incumbent part-privatized
• UTL, Feb. 2000

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Telecom market
Telephone subscribers, Uganda (000s)

• Low fixed penetration
• Low investment, high tariffs
• Rising mobile penetration
• 2 operators, pre-paid, foreign investment
• First African country where mobilegtfixed

Source ITU from UTL, MTN, CelTel data.
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Internet market

• Status
• 8 licenses issued, 4 active ISPs
• Incumbent not yet providing ISP service
• 4000 subscribers, 25000 users
• Foreign investment
• Wireless Internet could prove significant
• Recommendation
• ISPs should peer locally, perhaps via an
  independent Internet exchange point

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Internet tariffs
Dial-up Internet access charges, US per month

• Status
• Not many options
• Telephone usage charges
• Long distance outside Kampala
• Recommendations
• A nationwide dial code for Internet access should
  be established
• Revenue-sharing of telephone calls charges should
  be encouraged

Telephone subscription
Telephone usage
ISP charge
30 hours per month
Source ITU from UTL, InfoCom data.
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Donor projects

• Status
• A number of IT projects are taking place with the
  assistance of bi-lateral and multi-lateral donor
  agencies and different sectors of Uganda
  government
• Recommendation
• Greater co-ordination of these different efforts
  is required

International Bilateral IT projects for Uganda
Donor Counterpart US AID Makerere Univ. World
Bank Min. Education Denmark UBOS Canada UCST Ital
y Min. Health UNESCO UCST ADB Makerere
Univ. ADB Min. Health Norway Makerere Univ.
Source ITU adapted from various.
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Public Access

• Status
• No explicit policy for Internet
• Telephone line payphone targets
• Around 10 cybercafés in Kampala
• Uganda Posts provides e-mail in 3 towns
• Donor projects

• Recommendations
• Emphasis should be placed on developing public
  access points such as telecentres, cybercafés,
  utilising for instance existing community
  locations such as post offices, schools, health
  centres, etc.

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Domain name

• Status
• Uganda OnLine registrar
• Registration US50 per year

Uganda (.ug) hosts

• Recommendations
• Registrar should be neutral
• Costs should encourage development of web sites
  in Uganda

Source ITU adapted from Network Wizards.
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Sector absorption
Distribution of Internet Users

• Recommendations
• Awareness
• Promoting Internet through seminars, trade shows
  etc.
• Content
• Local content in local languages
• E-Government
• Government ministries should get on line
• E-Commerce
• Creation of an e-Commerce task force

NGOs, UN, World Bank, etc. 30
Business 40
Academic 25
Govern-ment 5
Source Charles Musisi, March 1999
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State of Internet Uganda
Note Range is 0 (non-existent) to 4 (highly
developed)
Source ITU adapted from Mosaic Group.
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www.itu.int/ti/casestudies/
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The End