Section 83: Licensing powers of Commission in relation to value added

services. (1) The Commission shall in relation to licensing and regulating value added services- (a) classify a service operated on a communications platform as a regulated value added service; (b) licence, monitor, inspect, supervise, control and regulate value added services in the communications sector; (c) require an applicant for any licence to obtain a value added services licence; (d) exempt an applicant from the requirement to obtain a value added services licence; (e) prescribe standards and to monitor and enforce compliance relating to content carried by operators and other licensed providers of value added services to consumers; (f) promote collocation, infrastructure sharing and interoperability among operators in accordance with the Uganda Communications (Interconnection and Access) Regulations, 2019; (g) regulate pricing for value added services with a view to protecting consumers from excessive prices and to prevent unfair competitive services; (h) promote competition, including protection of operators from acts and practices of other operators that are damaging to competition and to facilitate the entry into the market of new and modern systems and services; (i) receive, investigate and arbitrate complaints relating to value added services; and (j) promote and safeguard interests of consumers and operators in relation to the quality of communications services and equipment. (2) The Commission may require a person undertaking any of the following activities to obtain authorisation from the Commission- (a) the provision of any financial services delivered through a communications network platform by an institution licensed and regulated by the Bank of Uganda; (b) the provision of any financial services through a communications network platforms as prescribed by the Micro Finance Deposit-Taking Institutions Act, 2003; (c) public information services delivering content to the public; and (d) any other content platforms providing services regulated by other government agencies under an Act of Parliament. (3) For the purposes of subregulation (1), the Commission may issue guidelines to ensure general platform integrity, enforce quality of service parameters with regard to technical specifications, consumer protection, where applicable, and content regulation.