Indicator 9.c.1 Proportion of population covered by a mobile network, by technology

Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

Target 9.c: Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries by 2020

Indicator 9.c.1: Proportion of population covered by a mobile network, by technology.

November, 2021

1.4, 2.3, 2.c, 9.1, 11.b, 13.1

Uganda Communications Commission

Bayusuf Katyokori, Keith Bamwesigye

Economic Regulation

Officer Competition and Pricing, Senior Officer Industry Intelligence

+256 779 865618, +256 775 954469

P.O Box 7376, Kampala, P.O Box 7376, Kampala

bkatyokori@ucc.co.ug, kbamwesigye@ucc.co.ug

Proportion of the population covered by a mobile network, disaggregated by technology, refers to the percentage of inhabitants living within range of a mobile-cellular signal, irrespective of whether or not they are mobile phone subscribers or users.

Percent

ITU (International Telecommunications Union) indicators global classification

Online submission of the KPIs data from all operators in the communications sector.

Monthly

Every four months a report is published. i.e. At the end of every first month of the Quarter, the report for the previous quarter is disseminated to the public.

All operators in the communications sector in Uganda

Economic regulation unit, under the Directorate of Industry Affairs and Content, in UCC

To regulate the communications sector in Uganda which includes: Telecommunications, Broadcasting (TVs), Radio communication, Postal communications,

Data communication and infrastructure.

The percentage of the population covered by a mobile cellular network can be considered as a minimum indicator for ICT access since it provides people with the possibility to subscribe to and use mobile-cellular services to communicate. Over the last decade, mobile-cellular networks have expanded rapidly and helped overcome very basic infrastructure barriers that existed when fixed-telephone networks – often limited to urban and highly populated areas - were the dominant telecommunication infrastructure.

While 2G (narrowband) mobile-cellular networks offer limited (and mainly voice-based) services, higher-speed networks (3G and LTE) provide increasingly high-speed, reliable and high-quality access to the Internet and its increasing amount of information, content, services, and applications. Mobile networks are therefore essential to overcoming infrastructure barriers, helping people join the information society and benefit from the potential of ICTs, in particular in Uganda.

Difficulty in estimating inhabitants within a range of mobile cellular signal.

This is calculated by dividing the number of inhabitants within range of a mobile-cellular signal by the total population and multiplying by 100%.

The data is verified to ensure that it meets adequate statistical standards. Using our system called INMS we are able to determine the exact quality of data obtained directly from the operators’ systems.

The data are verified to ensure consistency with previous months’ data and situation of the sector for other related indicators.

The telecom operators are also always engaged by UCC to always ensure that data quality is always maintained.

Uganda Communication Commission collects data for this indicator through a monthly standardized KPIs template from all operators in communications industry in Uganda. The data from each operator in the country is automatically disaggregated to provide the required data basing on the type of each mobile network by technology e.g.: 2G, 3G, and 4G.

Compliance towards the set standards is ensured while obtaining data. The data is verified to ensure that it meets adequate statistical standards.

Operators are always engaged in this process. Valid reasons are provided for any changes in the trend of data obtained.

Through availing a standardized templated with all the indicators whose data is required, and operators must comply by it.

The data are verified to ensure consistency with previous months’ data and situation of the sector for other related indicators.

Data availability

Data is always available monthly through an online portal owned and managed by the commission where all operators submit their KPIs raw data by the 15th day of every month.

Disaggregation:

Data is disaggregated as its being submitted, and the commission’s indicators clearly shows how the disaggregation is done e.g. by region, mobile network by technology.

UCC captures this indicator while basing on the active telephone subscriptions that have access to a telephone network signal hence making it more comparable with other countries that have the same capacity.

The UCC -2021 Market Performance report and the ITU Annual Reports