Digital Inclusion (DigI)

DigI:Meeting with Uganda Communications Commission

Title	DigI:Meeting with Uganda Communications Commission
Place	UCC@Bugolobi
Date, Time	2020/02/26, 1000-1200
Contact Person	Brenda Jimris-Rekve
Participants	Josef Noll, Lillian Nalwoga, Irene Kaggwa Sewankombo, Gloria Katuuku, Brenda Jimris-Rekve
related to Project	DigI, BasicInternet
Keywords

Agenda and Minutes

1. Introduction of Basic Internet to UCC

Lilian Nalwoga introduced Basic Internet Foundation to the Uganda Communications Commission AG. Director Irene Sewankambo, highlghting our purpose of visit to Uganda and the basic internet concept. Irene Sewankambo welcomed us to the institution and made a quick introduction.

2. Introduction of the Basic Internet Foundation, its objectives and the existing partnerships

Josef made a quick in-depth introduction of Basic Internet Foundation's concept and our business model. He highlighted the discussions that had been done at the Ministry of ICT on the 25th of February 2020 and the need to involve UCC.
He discussed the technical bit of our system connectivity and how the discussions on partnerships with telecom operators would help realise the goal of just not connecting the individuals within the Ugandan society but how the connectivity would ensure that right information would be accessed by the society to enforce societal empowerment.

3. Discussions and Comments from Irene

Irene highlighted the Key Agenda for UCC, which is to connect all in the community with the internet, which focuses on demand stimulation and obligation.
She emphasised on the goal for UCC as sustainability driven agenda towards internet connectivity therefore discussing their need to evaluate how sustainable our project is as one of the regulations put out by the UCC regulatory board.
UCC supports operators connecting the unconnected as they want technology to be the driver of digital inclusivity but they do not put regulations to the operators.
She also added that UCC does not have a policy on networks neutrality.

4. Recommendations

Irene suggested that Basic Internet Foundation directly contacts the telecommunication operators in Uganda and ask for partnership meetings moving forward.
She additionally suggested that Lilian Nalwoga introduces us to Research and Education Network Uganda (RENU) whom we can present to how our device's connectivity operates.
Irene also suggested that we take over discussions with Rural Community Development Fund in Uganda that has the 2% deductions from regional development fund for working with the connectivity agenda.

end of meeting