The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has proposed three licensing options for public WiFi operators seeking to legalise their businesses, but warned that the ongoing crackdown on illegal installations will continue.
UCC executive director George William Nyombi Thembo announced the proposals on Tuesday, October 20, saying operators must first dismantle unauthorised equipment before applying for licences.
The regulator wants operators to form companies and acquire national licences, apply for community-based licences or seek individual licences.
Under the first option, small WiFi providers, particularly those with established payment systems, can pool resources to form companies and secure national public service provider licences.
Thembo said operators could establish one, two or three companies and work as agents under those licensed entities. This would allow small businesses to continue serving customers without each securing a national licence.
The second option targets operators serving smaller communities. However, UCC has yet to determine the geographical boundaries such licences would cover.
Thembo compared the proposed arrangement to community radio stations, which operate within defined coverage areas.
He said a community WiFi licence could cover a shopping mall, several residential houses or a neighbourhood, depending on the final guidelines.
The third option allows operators with sufficient resources to apply for licences independently. Thembo, however, acknowledged that the costs could discourage smaller businesses.
Despite offering these options, UCC maintained that operators must shut down illegal services before entering licensing discussions.
"We cannot be in negotiation with a person who is breaking the law. We can only issue licences to people who first discontinued their illegal operations," Thembo said.
He argued that allowing unauthorised providers to continue operating would discourage them from seeking licences.
"We cannot carry on when illegal operations still exist. It doesn't work, because where will one get the motivation to get a licence when they are still operating normally?" he added.
The proposals come as a seven-day ultimatum issued on October 13, 2026, expires. UCC had ordered unlicensed operators to remove their routers and other equipment voluntarily or face enforcement action.
The commission warned that authorities would confiscate illegal equipment and could seek court orders to destroy it.
UCC has also expressed concern over operators who install routers on electricity poles and telecommunications infrastructure without permission.
According to the regulator, such installations expose technicians to electrocution, disrupt electricity maintenance and pose security threats.
It also argues that some illegal WiFi networks operate outside established subscriber registration systems, making it difficult for authorities to identify users when investigating security incidents.
The crackdown has raised questions about the future of small WiFi businesses, which provide internet access to customers who cannot afford individual broadband connections.
While the proposed licences could offer these operators a route into the regulated market, UCC has yet to announce the costs and detailed requirements for the new community licensing arrangement.
