Africa-Press – Uganda. Smartphones being shipped into Uganda have surpassed basic phones against a backdrop of high Internet usage among Ugandans.
This is contained in the Uganda Communication Commission (UCC) quarterly report, which shows that in the last quarter of 2020, basic phones contracted by 500,000 units compared to smart and feature phones, which grew by more than 700,000 units.
UCC defines basic phones as those limited to voice calls and texting, while features are fitted with app and browsing functions.
Smartphones are, on the other hand, multi- purpose with distinguished capabilities and extensive mobile operating systems, which facilitate wider software, Internet, and multimedia functionality.
Currently, basic phones stand at about five million while features and smartphone are 17 million and seven million, respectively.
Mr Ibrahim Bossa, the UCC public and international relations officer, said the increase in shipment of smartphones was a global phenomenon as the world transitions into a digital divide.
While quoting data from the International Data Centre, a firm responsible for tracking shipment of phones, Mr Bossa said there has been a general increase in shipment of smartphones being sold internationally compared to basic phones in excess of 380 million smartphones.
Overall, he said: “We have observed a growth in live streaming on Internet sites, working from home and homeschooling. Also in terms of response, there’s a huge response for smarter devices to enable functionality,” he said, noting the increase could be due to a change in consumer lifestyle and appeal.
The shift in profiles of network connected devices, UCC said, was largely driven by mobile network operators that have put in place a number of innovations and the move towards a digitised globe.
Mobile phone operators have also been involved in a number of campaigns with the view of driving sales, especially in the smartphones segment.
Mr Somdev Sen, the MTN chief marketing officer, said apart of data network investment in 3G and 4G, they have been active in finance device campaign.
“People are graduating from just being voice users to data users, and in the journey, it’s extremely important to invest in phones that support the data experience,” he said.
The growth in the number on smartphone shipment, UCC says, could also have been driven by rapid Internet penetration, which currently stands at 52 per cent, catalysing the use of smart gadget to 67 per cent.
“Most Internet usage [in Uganda] is mobile. While there are other gadgets such as laptops, tablets, mobile Internet is more dominant,” Mr Bossa said.
The growth has also been supported by the rapid growth in the mobile financial services including online banking that continues to growth due to extensive network coverage now extended to previously uncovered areas.
For the second quarter running, according to UCC data, Internet connections grew by more than 1.2 million, with the bulk of these, which is about 98 per cent, connected through mobile phones.
Internet factor
The growth in the number of smartphone shipment, UCC says, could also have been driven by rapid Internet penetration, which currently stands at 52 per cent, catalysing the use of smart gadget to 67 per cent. “Most Internet usage [in Uganda] is mobile. While there are other gadgets such as laptops, tablets, mobile Internet is more dominant,” Mr Bossa said.
