Friday, January 01, 2010

Uganda - MTN in court over interconnection rates

[the monitor] Telecommunications giant, MTN Uganda is in court accusing Uganda the Communications Commission (UCC) of imposing lower rates as interconnection fee with other telephone operators.

In a case filed in form of judicial review at Kampala High Court last week, MTN wants a declaration that UCC has no legal authority to fix telephone interconnection rates between MTN and other telephone operators.

The company further wants court to review the decision of UCC and quash the decision of fixing various interconnection rates among telecom operators. MTN Uganda also wants a permanent injunction restraining the management of UCC from fixing the interconnection rates.

The company claims on December 7 this year, UCC fixed telephone interconnection rates at Shs131 for mobile and fixed termination near end, Shs125 for fixed termination far end, Shs25 for transit, Shs15 for SMS termination and wholesale leased line charges at a retail rate of less 20 per cent.

"By law fixing telephone interconnection rates between telephone operators is a matter of negotiations and agreement and as such UCC's decision shall have effect of re-writing the said agreement contrary to the law and public policy," reads part of the case filed by the company, which officially launched in Uganda in 1998. UCC is the regulator of the communications industry.

MTN in Court Over Interconnection Rates

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