KAMPALA—Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has fingered MTN Uganda over allegation of flouting communication regulations something that can cost the company its licence to carry on with business.
UCC says MTNU changed its voice and data charges before securing the regulator’s approval.
It now wants MTN Uganda’s largest mobile telecommunications company be subscriber numbers, to explain why it ignored the regulations.
“…the Commission directs that MTN provide a detailed justification for all price changes implemented in the last 12 months, for which the Commission was not notified in advance,” says a July 7 letter by UCC’s executive director Godfrey Mutabazi to MTN Uganda chief executive officer.
“Please note that this directive must be complied with in full, and the information requested must reach the Commission no later than close of business 12th July 2017.”
UCC’s directive comes in the wake of complaints by many of MTN Uganda subscribers.
Many of them, have through social media, said their data bundles (units to use Internet services) run out very fast.
The bundles range from 10MBs, which cost Shs250 to 60MBs that go for Shs1, 000 and 700MBs, which cost Sh10, 000.
Airtel, the second largest mobile phone service provider, charges Shs500 for 20MBs and Shs1, 000 for 50MBs.
When it comes to voice calls, many of MTN Uganda customers say the 60 seconds tick as fast as microseconds.
Because of that, the customers end up paying more than they should per minute.
Their complaints never seemed to unsettle MTN Uganda, which promoted some of MTN Uganda customers to bring the matter to the attention of the sector regulator.
