UCC Rolls Out New Rules for SIM Card Registration, Replacement

Summary:

• The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has introduced new rules for SIM card replacements, registrations, and upgrades, requiring them to be done only at authorized service centers. Customers without readable biometrics must obtain a validation letter from the National Identification and Registration Authority or, for refugees, the Office of the Prime Minister.

The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has unveiled new guidelines to address issues faced by telecom users and operators concerning SIM card replacements, registration, and upgrades. These steps aim to provide a secure and streamlined process, especially for individuals without access to their national identity cards or whose biometric data is unavailable.

Under the new measures, services such as SIM card replacements, swaps, edits, or upgrades will only be processed at official telecom customer service centers or authorized agent locations. Additionally, SIM cards will only be reissued to the registered owners.

For customers whose biometric data is unreadable or missing, the process differs. Ugandan citizens in this situation are required to obtain a validation letter from the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA). Asylum seekers and refugees must secure a similar document from the Office of the Prime Minister. Those with valid identification, such as national IDs, asylum seeker cards, or refugee cards, must present the original documents to the telecom operator for processing.