Mobile Roaming charges continue to give East African citizens major headache

Heads of Communications Regulatory Authorities from the East African Community Partner States met in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania to advance a seamless and affordable regional mobile roaming framework to strengthen connectivity, trade and regional integration across East Africa.

Regulators, technical experts, regional organizations and development partners reviewed the draft Enhanced Regional Mobile Roaming Framework, aimed at facilitating affordable, seamless, secure and harmonized regional mobile roaming services.

Opening the meeting, the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Infrastructure, Productive, Social and Political Sectors, Andrea Aguer Ariik Malueth, observed that digital connectivity has become a strategic enabler of trade, investment, service delivery and citizen participation across borders.

“Affordable, seamless and reliable cross-border communication is no longer simply a telecommunications issue; it is a practical requirement for the realization of the EAC Common Market and the emerging Single Digital Market,” said Malueth.

He noted that the proposed framework seeks to strengthen regulatory coordination and deliver practical solutions that improve how citizens, businesses and travelers experience regional integration in their daily lives.

Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) Director of Licensing and Compliance, John Wallace Daffa, noted that Tanzania currently has five mobile network operators operating competitively without monopoly, adding that the ongoing roaming reforms have already demonstrated the benefits of reduced roaming costs across the region.

“We can now witness the benefits when moving within the region. Roaming is no longer considered a luxury. This is aligned with the EAC vision of free movement of people, goods and services and reducing the cost of doing business,” Mr. Daffa stated.

Eng. Alfred Joseph Bogere, the Ugandan Director of Engineering and Communications Infrastructure, reaffirmed the importance of ensuring that no citizen is left behind in the digital age.

“We recognize that access to ICTs is no longer a luxury. It is now central to education, healthcare, commerce, governance, employment and social participation, and has become a core element of regional integration,” Eng. Bogere noted.

The meeting reviewed key issues including pricing structures, consumer protection measures, compliance monitoring, dispute resolution mechanisms and operational coordination required to support implementation of a harmonized regional mobile roaming framework.

National communications regulators play a central role in the successful implementation of the proposed Regional Mobile Roaming Framework by ensuring that roaming services remain affordable, seamless, reliable and consumer-centered across the East African Community.

Delegates follow proceedings during the High-Level Meeting of Heads of National Communications Regulatory Authorities on the proposed Enhanced Regional Roaming Framework in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Under the proposed framework, regulators are expected to provide coordinated regulatory oversight to support harmonized implementation among Partner States while safeguarding the interests of consumers and service providers.

Key responsibilities of national regulators will include the development and enforcement of common regulatory approaches on pricing structures, inter-operator arrangements and quality of service standards to ensure fair, transparent and affordable roaming charges across the region.

Regulators will also oversee compliance monitoring to ensure that mobile network operators adhere to agreed regional obligations, consumer protection requirements and operational standards under the framework.

In addition, regulatory authorities will strengthen cooperation and information sharing mechanisms to support effective regional coordination, address cross-border operational challenges and facilitate timely resolution of disputes that may arise among operators or between operators and consumers.

The framework further envisages enhanced collaboration among regulators on technical and operational matters including interoperability, traffic management, fraud prevention, data exchange and service continuity to improve customer experience for citizens travelling within the region.

Delegates follow proceedings during the High-Level Meeting of Heads of National Communications Regulatory Authorities on the proposed Enhanced Regional Roaming Framework in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Consumer protection remains a key priority under the framework, with regulators expected to promote transparency in roaming charges, improve consumer awareness and establish safeguards against unfair billing practices and service disruptions.

Regional regulators have emphasized that harmonized roaming arrangements will contribute towards reducing the cost of communication, facilitating movement of people and goods, supporting regional trade and strengthening digital inclusion across the East African Community.

The proposed framework is expected to strengthen institutional coordination and provide a more predictable regulatory environment that encourages investment, innovation and sustainable growth within the regional telecommunications sector.

The meeting was organized by the EAC Secretariat through the Eastern Africa Regional Digital Integration Project (EARDIP). The meeting was also attended by partners, namely, the World Bank, the East African Communications Organization (EACO), and the Smart Africa Alliance.