By Samuel Ssenono
Uganda’s rapid expansion of internet and telecom services has, in recent years, come with a visible downside. Across Kampala and other urban centres, multiple telecom operators have installed separate fibre lines, often mounting them on their own utility poles along the same streets.
The result has been a tangle of cables, congested corridors, and in some areas, rows of closely spaced poles serving similar purposes. Beyond the visual clutter, the uncoordinated rollout has raised concerns over safety, inefficiency, and the rising cost of infrastructure deployment.
It is this growing disorder recently called out by the public on numerous social platforms that has now prompted action from the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC).
New Measures to Restore Order
In a public notice issued by UCC,
the telecom regulator acknowledged the mounting concerns from government and the public over the unstructured installation of fibre infrastructure, particularly in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area.
The Commission has now directed all telecom stakeholders to streamline how infrastructure is deployed, with the aim of reducing duplication and improving coordination across operators.
At the centre of these reforms is a new Framework for Optical Fibre Installation, Maintenance, Protection and Disposal, which came into force on January 1, 2026.
Under this framework, telecom operators are required to submit and obtain approval for their Optical Fibre Cable deployment plans before any installation is carried out. The move is expected to eliminate parallel installations and promote shared infrastructure where possible.
Pushing for Underground Networks
UCC is also encouraging a shift towards underground fibre deployment, especially in densely populated urban areas. This approach is seen as safer, more durable, and less disruptive to the urban landscape.
However, the Commission has cautioned that as more civil works are undertaken, there must be deliberate efforts to protect existing fibre networks. Frequent damage to cables during road construction and utility works has been a key contributor to service disruptions experienced by users.
Role of Local Governments
The Commission is placing renewed responsibility on local governments to ensure that telecommunications infrastructure is integrated into urban planning processes.
Going forward, road construction, drainage works, and city expansion projects are expected to factor in telecom infrastructure from the outset, rather than treating it as an afterthought.
