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ICT STANDARDISATION CHALLENGES IN UGANDA

ITU Regional Standardization Forum for Africa (Kampala, Uganda, 23-25 June 2014). ICT STANDARDISATION CHALLENGES IN UGANDA. Patrick Mwesigwa , Director/Technology, Networks & Services Uganda Communications Commission Email: pmwesigwa@ucc.co.ug. PRESENTATION OUTLINE.

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ICT STANDARDISATION CHALLENGES IN UGANDA

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  1. ITU Regional Standardization Forum for Africa (Kampala, Uganda, 23-25 June 2014) ICT STANDARDISATION CHALLENGES IN UGANDA Patrick Mwesigwa, Director/Technology, Networks & Services Uganda Communications Commission Email: pmwesigwa@ucc.co.ug

  2. PRESENTATION OUTLINE Mandates of standardisation bodies in Uganda Standards enforcement measures Challenges Addressing the challenges Conclusions and recommendations

  3. STANDARDISATION BODIES IN UGANDA • Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS)– All standards • National Information Technology Authority – Uganda (NITA-U) - IT • National Environment Management Authority (NEMA)– Environment • Uganda Communications Commission (UCC)– ICT standards

  4. Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) UNBS is responsible for overall standardisation in Uganda UNBS develops standards through Technical committees – TC 6 on electrotechnology standards is responsible for ICT related standards Standards development is need-based

  5. National Information Technology Authority – Uganda (NITA-U) • NITA-U is mainly responsible for provision of IT services for Government bodies especially e-government services • Also mandated to IT standards. • Also responsible for • Management of the National Backbone Infrastructure (NBI) • Cyber security in government operations

  6. National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) • NEMA is responsible for all standards related to environmental protection • Includes • E-waste management • Built environment (houses, masts etc) • Health and safety, impact of ICT services on health e.g. electromagnetic radiation

  7. Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) • UCC as regulator of Communications sector is responsible for all standards in the ICT sector • This includes standards for • Telecommunications • Broadcasting • Postal • Internet including cybersecurity • etc

  8. UCC AREAS OF STANDARDISATION • Quality of service • QoS regulations developed • Monitoring carried out regularly • Quality of equipment • Type approval regulations developed • Minimum specifications for digital broadcasting equipment developed • Research and Development

  9. UCC AREAS OF STANDARDISATION • Number resources usage • Numbering regulations developed • Regulations on unsolicited messages • Tariffs/Interconnection - Reference interconnection rate set • Infrastructure • Infrastructure sharing guidelines • Spectrum Management standards

  10. Standards enforcement measures Cautioning Fining Name and shame Confiscation of offending equipment Closure of offending stations

  11. CHALLENGES IN UGANDA • Coordination between different standardisation bodies • The need to streamline all mandates to eliminate overlaps • The need for stronger collaborations • The different levels of advancement in the collaborating bodies

  12. CHALLENGES IN UGANDA • Inadequate capacity • Limited number of staff that are knowledgeable about standardisation • Inadequate tools • Rather weak enforcement structures • Limited access to relevant updated documents on standards • Rather many international Standards Development Organisations (SDO) to deal with

  13. CHALLENGES IN UGANDA • Inadequate resources • Subscriptions to journals may be expensive • Long and rather unclear process of legalisation of standards - In the case of local ICT standards, process involves regulator, ministry, parliament and judicial system.

  14. CHALLENGES IN UGANDA • At any of these stages, standards are subject to watering down through vested interests • In the case of standards for UNBS, the process of registering them with the international bodies is lengthy and costly

  15. ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES • The various standardisation bodies need to develop a clear framework for working together • Standardisation process should be given due importance at highest level • Improve access to current information • Increase funding for standardisation activities

  16. ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES Streamline the process of national ICT standardisation to remove bottlenecks Consider establishment of Regional Standardisation Bodies such as EAC to address regional requirements

  17. Conclusions and Recommendations Most of the challenges can be mitigated through stronger collaboration, both at the organisational level within the country and at the regional level ITU should encourage and support standardisation efforts both at regional and national level

  18. THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION!pmwesigwa@ucc.co.ug

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