Ugandan standards board backs fake phone clampdown

The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) will support the country’s push to eradicate fake phones by tightening borders.

Last year the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) began the fake phone clamp down with a commitment to follow Kenya in shutting off counterfeit handsets. UCC will lead the effort but has been promised support from its colleagues in the UNBS.

"We have a working relationship with UCC to implement this project. Our role is to detect fake phones at the different entry points and stopping them from coming on to our market. This is something we are committed to do," Ben Manyindo, UNBS executive director, told Daily Monitor.

The plan is for all telecoms firms to deny access to new fake phones from January 31 and shut down all counterfeit handsets already in use on July 1. However, if these is significant opposition to the plan, UCC might push back the timeline to allow for more discussions with the public.