Uganda Telecom
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Telecommunications |
| Founded | 2000[1] |
| Headquarters | Kampala, Uganda |
| Key people |
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| Services |
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| Website | Homepage |
Uganda Telecom, whose full legal name is Uganda Telecom Limited (UTL), is an information and communication technology network company in Uganda.
History
Following the passage of the Communications Act in 1997, by the Ugandan Parliament, the then Ugandan parastatal company Uganda Posts and Telecommunications Company Limited (UPTCL), was divided to four entities:
- Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) - The communications industry regulator
- Uganda Post Limited - Also known as Posta Uganda
- PostBank Uganda - A government-owned financial institution
- Uganda Telecom - An information technology and communication network company.
In June 2000, UTL was privatized when the Government divested 51% of its shares to Ucom, a consortium formed by Detecon, of Germany, Telecel International of Switzerland and Orascom Telecom of Egypt. The Ugandan Government retained 49% ownership in UTL. Orascom sold their interest in Ucom to Telecel, sometime between 2002 and 2003.[2]
In March 2007, LAP Greencom, a subsidiary of Libya African Investment Portfolio (LAP), a company owned by the Government of Libya,[3] bought into Ucom, while Detecon sold their interest in the consortium to Telecel International. The new shareholding structure in UTL, left the Ugandan government with a 31% ownership, while Ucom's shareholding increased to 69%.[4]
Overview
As of January 2010, Uganda had eight operational telecommunications companies, serving in excess of 10 million subscribers, out of a population estimated at about 32 million.[5] The providers include:
- MTN Uganda
- Uganda Telecom
- Airtel Uganda - Effective 23 November 2010.[6]
- Warid Telecom
- Hits Telecom
- Orange
- i-Telecom
- Smile Telecom
Uganda Telecom is a leading total communications provider with a broad range of services in Uganda, including:
- Fixed voice (Copper and Fixed GSM)
- Mobile voice
- Data and Internet (WiMAX, xDSL, FTTx, CDMA, Leased Lines)
- Broadband (3G, WiMAX, xDSL, FTTx, CDMA)
- Wireless
In February 2009, UTL introduced a mobile money transfer service "M-SENTE" in conjunction with Redknee Solutions Inc., a Canadian IT company.[7][8] In September 2009, UTL became the first Ugandan provider to introduce the solar powered hand-held mobile phone, locally called Kasana.[9]
In July 2011, UTL estimated their own market share of the Ugandan telecommunication industry at about 10%.[10]
Ownership
As of July 2011, Uganda Telecom is a joint venture between a LAP Green of Libya, which owns 69% of UTL, and the Ugandan Government, which owns the remaining 31%. The ownership of the company is summarized in the table below:[11]
