The Uganda Communications Commission has fined MTN Uganda 0.5% which is approximately Shs 5bn of its annual revenue for sending subscribers messages from their short codes contrary to a directive to stop sending the unsolicited messages.
In November 21, 2014, the UCC had directed all telecommunications to operationalise the 196 short codethat would make it possible for uses to opt out in cae they did not want to receive messages from a particular short code.
Also to be operationalised was a “Do not Disturb” (DND) option to ensure consumers will not get messages except for national emergencies and network outages.
MTN Uganda “repeatedly defied Commission directive to desist from the using short codes 157,169, 178, and 183” breaching the 2010 developed SMS and MM guidelines,” UCC in a a statement.
Africell and Uganda Telecom (UTL) are undergoing a similar exercise while the regulator has also withdrawn 58 non-compliant content providers’ codes.
