Application Requirements for Telecommunications and Postal Services License
LICENCE CATEGORIES OF SERVICES APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS LICENCE FEES (VAT EXCLUSIVE)
Public Service Provider Licence

Category 1: Public Voice and Data, e.g.,

  • Cellular service (Mobile Virtual Network Operators- MVNO);
  • Fixed voice service;
  • Global mobile personal communications by satellite (GMPCS) services;
  • Internet access (including IP telephony + Virtual Private Networks);
  • Internet exchange services (IXPs for Corporate companies, e.g., Banks);
  • Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) that are NOT provided over the Internet,
  • etc;
  • Company Profile (to include certified photocopies of the Certificate of Registration and Incorporation of the company in Uganda as well as the Memorandum of Association);
  • Business Plan (to include service description, objectives and proposed area of coverage);
  • Technical Applications (to include service technology, interfacing, equipment interface arrangements with licensed telecommunications service providers, network configuration, and quality standards);

NB:

  • Any provider wishing to utilize Prepaid services will be required to indicate measures put in place to protect consumers of the prepaid services;
  • Applicants for the Public Service Provider Licence can choose any one of the Categories or all of them, BUT the applicant must fulfil the specific requirements of each category.
  • Application Processing: US $ 2,500;
  • Annual Licence Fee: US $ 10,000;
  • Annual Levy: 1% of Gross Annual Revenue from Licensed services.
 

Category 2: Capacity Resale, e.g.

  • Capacity Resale services (local and international);
  • Calling Cards;
  • etc.
  • Company Profile (to include certified photocopies of the Certificate of Registration and Incorporation of the company in Uganda as well as the Memorandum of Association);
  • Business Plan (to include service description, objectives and proposed area of coverage);
  • Technical Applications (to include service technology, interfacing, equipment interface arrangements with licensed telecommunications service providers, network configuration, and quality standards).

NB:

  • Any provider wishing to utilize Prepaid services will be required to indicate measures put in place to protect consumers of the prepaid services.
  • Applicants for the Public Service Provider Licence can choose any one of the Categories or all of them, BUT the applicant must fulfil the specific requirements of each category.
  • Application Processing: US $ 2,500
  • Annual Licence Fee: US $ 3,000
  • Annual Levy: 1% of Gross Annual Revenue from Licensed services
Capacity Provider Licence

Category 1:

  • Licensees already permitted to install infrastructure of the type they have already invested in, for example Internet Access Providers with wireless networks;

Category 2:

  • Persons whose core business is not in telecommunications but who possess private communications facilities with surplus capacity and wish to resale this to third parties; for example Uganda Electricity Transmission Co. Ltd. (UETCL);

Category 3:

  • New entrants in the Internet Access market operating their networks using the Industrial, Scientific and Medical frequency (ISM) band, e.g., 2.4GHz and 5.7GHz band.
  • Company Profile (to include certified photocopies of the Certificate of Registration and Incorporation of the company in Uganda as well as the Memorandum of Association);
  • Business Plan (to include service description and objectives);
  • Technical Applications (to include service technology;
    • interfacing, equipment interface arrangements with licensed telecommunications service providers, network configuration, and quality standards);
  • The applicant may be required to demonstrate the availability of excess capacity above the applicant’s requirements;
  • The applicant (owner of the surplus capacity) must make a written commitment to sell the excess capacity without discrimination;

NB:

  • Any provider wishing to utilize Prepaid services will be required to indicate measures put in place to protect consumers for the prepaid services.
  • Application Processing: US $ 2,500.
  • Annual Licence Fee: US $ 3,000
  • Annual Levy: 1% of Gross Annual Revenue from Licensed services
Special Permission to Construct

The Applicant, a PSP, must, when applying demonstrate that;

  • There is no infrastructure in the service area of the Service Provider;
  • The NTOs and the Infrastructure Licence Providers cannot provide the infrastructure within the Maximum Response Time as specified by UCC;
  • The existing infrastructure is not capable of carrying the service the Service Provider wishes to provide;
  • They will commence provision of services within a period of 12 months of the issuance of the licence, in the places where the conditions above are prevailing;

NB:

  • The licence remains valid for the period specified;
  • The minimum area the licence can be issued for is a sub-county while the maximum area shall be determined at the time of application;
  • The SPC licence shall permit the holder to sell excess capacity of the infrastructure built under specified regulatory conditions
  • Application Processing: US $ 2,500.
  • Annual Licence Fee: US $ 1,500
  • Annual Levy: 1% of Gross Annual Revenue from Licensed services
General Authorisation Class 1:
  • Public Pay Communication Services (e.g., Internet Café, Payphones, telephone bureaus etc)
  • Trading Licensing
  • Area of Operations
  • Services being provided
  • Encouraged to register

NB

  • Any provider wishing to provide Prepaid services shall have to first apply for individual licences and shall then be required Prepaid services will be required to indicate measures put in place to protect consumers of the prepaid services.
  • Application Processing: N/A
  • Annual Licence Fee: NIL
  • Annual Levy: NIL
Class 2:
  • Private Networks

No requirements except in the case where there is need to use the Essential Facilities, like Spectrum and the Numbering resource. In this case, they shall have to apply for AUTHORISATION to use these facilities.