The Government has announced plans to cut the price of Internet bandwidth further as it moves to increase access.
According to ICT state minister Godfrey Kabbyanga, the Government’s target is to reach a low of $5 (shillings 19,000) per megabit per second per month in the next year from $35 (about shillings 135,000).
He made the revelation during the signing of a memorandum of understanding between his ministry and global payment solution company Mastercard at the ministry’s headquarters in Kampala.
Kabbyanga said although the recent Internet reduction from $70 (about shillings 270,000) per megabit per second to $35 (about shillings 135,000) per megabit per second has helped stabilise internet costs in the country and increase its access, this is not having the projected impact.
Kabbyanga added that the move will also encourage private players to cut their prices which is going to have a ripple effect on the overall prices of internet in the country.
He said the Government’s overall goal is to ensure that in the next five years, the whole country is covered with internet outlets, which will be possible when they complete the fifth phase of National Backbone Infrastructure.
