EAC pushes harmonised mobile roaming framework to cut communication costs

The regional bloc comprises Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.

Speaking during the opening session, Principal ICT Officer in Tanzania’s Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, Philemon Machaine, said the outcomes of the meetings are expected to help reduce telecommunications costs and improve communication across the region.

“We appreciate the decision to host these important meetings in Dar es Salaam, recognising that the outcomes of these engagements will contribute significantly towards reducing the cost of telecommunications services and improving communication across the region,” he said.

Chairperson of the meeting and Principal Regional Integration Officer for Science and Technology in Uganda’s Ministry of EAC Affairs, George Lwevoola, said discussions on regional mobile roaming within the EAC began in 2013 and have since progressed steadily.

“Efforts aimed at making communications affordable within the region have been ongoing for more than a decade,” he said.

He added that initiatives such as the One Network Area had provided valuable lessons in developing a sustainable and harmonised regional roaming framework.

“We expect further progress in reducing communication costs while facilitating business and regional integration through improved connectivity,” he said.

EAC Deputy Secretary General for Infrastructure, Productive, Social and Political Sectors, Andrea Ariik Malueth, said digital connectivity has become a key driver of regional integration and economic transformation.

“Affordable and seamless communication across borders is essential for deepening regional integration, supporting trade and enabling East Africans to fully participate in the digital economy,” he said.

According to the EAC, despite adoption of the regional roaming framework in 2014, challenges such as high roaming charges, inconsistent implementation and varying regulatory approaches continue to affect seamless regional connectivity.

The bloc said high roaming costs continue to affect cross-border traders, transport operators, tourists, students and businesses that rely on mobile communication while travelling within the region.

Current engagements are reviewing findings of a regional study on implementation of the EAC Roaming Framework and deliberating on a draft long-term Regional Mobile Roaming Framework aimed at establishing a harmonised regulatory mechanism for international mobile roaming services.

The study, conducted by the EAC Secretariat with support from the World Bank under the Eastern African Regional Digital Integration Project (EARDIP), identified challenges including inconsistent regulatory practices, high interconnection costs, tax disparities, fraud risks and limited consumer awareness.

It also found that the current framework remains largely focused on voice services and does not adequately address growing demand for affordable mobile data services needed for e-commerce, digital payments and online services.

To address these challenges, the proposed framework recommends harmonised measures to strengthen consumer protection, establish cost-based tariffs, improve service quality and enhance compliance mechanisms.

The framework is also expected to reduce communication barriers across borders while supporting trade, tourism and investment across the region.

Delegates attending the week-long meetings are expected to conduct technical reviews of the study report and draft framework, participate in capacity-building sessions and hold policy discussions among heads of communications regulatory authorities.

The outcomes will inform subsequent policy processes within the EAC, including submission of the draft framework to the Sectoral Council on Transport, Communications and Meteorology for consideration and adoption.