Overview:
The Uganda Communications Commission is enforcing new guidelines requiring telecom operators to coordinate infrastructure deployment and seek formal approval for fiber cable plans starting Jan. 1.
KAMPALA, Uganda — The Uganda Communications Commission has issued a directive to streamline the installation of utility poles and fiber optic cables, aimed at ending the haphazard deployment of infrastructure that has cluttered the country’s urban landscapes.
Executive Director Nyombi Thembo said the regulator’s new Framework for Optical Fibre Installation, Maintenance, Protection and Disposal took effect Jan. 1. Under the policy, telecommunications operators must obtain formal approval for deployment plans before beginning any physical installations.
The move follows mounting concerns from government agencies and the public regarding the uncoordinated and untidy rollout of infrastructure, particularly in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area. Thembo said the measures are designed to safeguard urban order, improve public safety and maintain high service quality.
The commission has directed all relevant stakeholders to coordinate their deployment across sectors to reduce physical clutter and improve the aesthetics of urban centers.
Thembo also underscored the necessity of integrating telecommunications infrastructure into road construction and other civil works. While the commission is encouraging operators to move fiber networks underground to preserve the urban landscape, the executive director warned that such works must be handled with care to avoid damaging existing networks and causing service disruptions.
The commission remains committed to working with local authorities and operators to ensure that Uganda’s communications infrastructure is both orderly and future-ready, Thembo said.