Concept Paper

Unified Subscriber Identification Database

Edward Mugerwa Information Systems Uganda Telecom

Table of Contents
Definitions ................................................................................................................................................... 2 Unified Subscriber Identification............................................................................................................. 3 A. Background ............................................................................................................................................. 3 B. The Concept ........................................................................................................................................... 4 C. Responsibilities of each Stake holders .............................................................................................. 5 D. Implementation Ideas........................................................................................................................... 6 E. Conclusion............................................................................................................................................... 6

Definitions
Commission means the Uganda Communications Commission End user means a person who uses public cellular services. Government means government of the Republic of Uganda. Identification Particulars means official documentation issued by the government or recognised by the government as being capable of ascertaining the identity of a natural or juristic person. Licensee means person or an entity licensed under the Uganda Communications Act, Cap 106, Laws of Uganda to establish, own and operate telecommunications systems and/or provide public cellular services; PIN means a Personal Identification Number assigned to a subscriber by the licensee to enable access to the licensees public cellular services over any compatible phone or handset. Public cellular service means a telecommunications service providing voice and data communications over a radio-based network that divides the serving area into a regular pattern of sub-areas or cells. Registration means recording by the Licensee or any person appointed by the Licensee in accordance with these Guidelines of the information specified in Clause 4.2 submitted by an existing or new Subscriber SIM card means the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) which is an independent , electronically activated device designed for use in conjunction with a cellular phone to enable the user of a cellular phone to transmit and receive indirect communications by providing access to telecommunication systems and enabling such telecommunications systems to identify the particular Subscriber Identity Module and its installed information; Subscriber means any person who subscribes to the public cellular service of any Licensee through the acquisition of the Licensees SIM card or PIN; Unregistered Subscriber means subscriber who is using the public cellular service without having been registered pursuant to these Guidelines User means any person not being a subscriber using public cellular service of any licensee. USIIC means the Unified Subscriber Identification Information Center, a third-party established by service providers with guidance from the commission to capture, store and manage common subscriber identification information on behalf of the service providers. USID means the Unified Subscriber Identification Number which uniquely identifies subscriber details in a centralised identification information database. Verification means the checking and confirmation of the Identification Particulars recorded to ensure that such particulars correspond to the Subscriber

Unified Subscriber Identification

A. Background
1. Pursuant to S. 9 of the Regulation of Interception of Communications Act, 2010 with the guidance of the Uganda Communications Commission all licensed service providers are required to register their existing and new subscribers of public cellular services based on their Subscriber Identity Module (SIM), CDMA technology, Satellite technology or Personal Identification Number (PIN) ownership. 2. This requirement has significant cost implications to every operator. It is estimated that registration costs an operator anywhere around $2 per subscriber, this figure reduces as the number of subscribers increases. The costs identified are: (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) (vii) (viii) Cost of Cost of Cost of Cost of Cost of Cost of Cost of Cost of introducing new or upgrading Business Support Systems introducing new or upgrading document management systems document scanners storage infrastructure for storing digital photos and scanned documents additional human resources required to deliver within constraints Cameras (or equivalent mobile devices) and biometric devices additional office space marketing/advertising to entice or encourage subscribers to register

This is without disregarding the logistics involved. 3. It is common knowledge that a good number of these subscribers have SIM cards from atleast three (3) service providers. Implying that three service providers will spend money to register the same subscriber! 4. The concept explained in this paper draws attention to what is common information that can be centrally captured and managed; and what is unique that should be private knowledge to the service provider.

B. The Concept
5. The identification information required from every user is the same regardless of who they will register with. As per the guidelines (section 5.2) what is required is:
5.2 5.2.1 The following are the valid Identification Particulars to be used by the Licensee or authorised person to verify the information provided by both the existing and new subscribers:For Uganda Nationals, either of the following in original form: (a) Valid Passport. (b) Valid National ID (c) Valid Drivers Licence (d) Student Card from an accredited educational institution (e) Voter Identification Registration Card (f) Letter from current employer bearing the registrants photograph confirming identity, place of work and residence. The letter must be on an official letterhead or have the stamp of the employer or else accompanied by copy of the employers identification particulars (g) Official Local Council Letter bearing the registrants photograph, confirming the identity and physical address details of the registrant. The letter must be on an official letterhead or have the stamp of the Local Council office For foreigners, either of the following in original form: (a) Valid Work Permit Identification Card; (b) Valid Passport (c) Valid National Identity Card issued by parent country (d) Valid drivers License (e) Any of the above with a residential address in Uganda. For Corporate Persons and Statutory bodies, certified copies of the following documents shall be used for verification: (a) Certificate of Incorporation; (b) Certificate of Registration; or (c) Enabling Legislation or Gazette notice These must be accompanied by a letter drawn on an official letterhead that is duly signed by an authorized signatory of that company or organization.

5.2.2

5.2.3

6. The above information is required in addition to subscriber number, name and location/address information (section 3.1) 7. The only piece of information that is unique to the service provider is the subscriber number. This information could be considered unique to the subscriber and can only be stored by the service provider that the customer is subscribed to. From the operator perspective this is its private information! 8. It is therefore prudent that in the process of subscriber registration service providers only refer to common subscriber identification information centrally managed and stored by an independent third-party. Such reference shall be in the name of a unique Unified Subscriber Identification (USID) Number issued by the third-party. 9. The USID issued by the third-party shall be captured and stored by the service provider as part of the registration process.

10. Diagrammatic representation of the centralized registration process

Centralized Subscriber Registration Concept

UCC

Guidelines Published

Service Providers

USIIC Established

Information Center Issues USID and Subscriber Number

Subscriber

Registration Starts

Subscriber Information Provided (Photo/Biometric, Id, subscriber number(s), Address)

Subscriber Receives Registration Request Receipt with a Request Number

Information Center Issues USID Card

No Provide Service Provider with Subscriber Number and USID

Is Information Provided

Yes

Information Center Verifies and crosschecks provided information

Has Information Provided Passed Verification Process

USIIC

Yes

Registration Ends

No

C. Responsibilities of each Stake holders

11. Refer to the responsibility matrix below: Stakeholder 1. Uganda Communication Commission 2. Service Providers 3. Government Of Uganda 4. USIIC Third-party Responsibility a. Sensitization of the populace b. Overseeing the exercise c. Establishing guidelines (including KPIs) of a Unified Subscriber Identification Information Center (USIIC) a. Establishing the Unified Subscriber Identification Information Center b. Sensitization of the populace a. Sensitization of the populace a. Collect and capture subscriber information as prescribed by the law b. Store subscriber information in retrieval systems c. Manage subscriber information

D. Implementation Ideas
Central collection of subscriber information Regional information collection centers Collection points in the major urban centers or towns Adoption of the USID as a common subscriber identifier, which is to be provided by each subscriber upon registration 16. Service Providers to share their service centers with USIIC 12. 13. 14. 15.

E. Conclusion
17. The cost of registration to the service providers will be reduced by an order of magnitude if all stakeholders joined hands.