A technical defense of telecoms from the regulator @UCC_Official. First, it is unclear to me why @UCC_ED focused on money trapped with accounts of those deceased. These can’t constitute a majority. Main complaints are everyday mistakes of sending to the wrong number
Secondly, from where I sit, technologists could work on a simple and effective reversal protocol that sits on the MM application. That way customers can follow a procedure for reversal or return to sender.
Thirdly, the co-regulated nature of MM is entertained by both sectors ( telecoms and banks) as every body’s problems and therefore no body’s problem because it is self serving. Telcos are refining banking practices and banks are doing the same with digital options
Consumers won’t be served quickly enough by the National Payments Platform. This law which is nearly 10 years as a draft has been resisted by both banking and telco lobbies. Consumers look to @UCC_Official to act prudently in the meantime.
The nature of administration of public affairs in Uganda generally shows that regulators are weaker than the sectors they regulate ( Look at regulation of any variety from prescription drugs to noise pollution)
It follows that actions by a determined regulator should be practical within the context of bad options. What @UCC_ED has done is pass the buck back to the consumer to fend for him/herself and wait for a law that favors them.
Not an illustrious start for @UCC_ED Consumers need to cultivate more options to get simple problems like this fixed. One can imagine how UCC will respond to matters of excessive even punitive taxation, the poor privacy regulations and practice and bad connections. Over to you.
