Ubos partners with MTN, Airtel to ensure reliable connectivity during Census

Kampala, (UG):- With just over a week until the digital national census kicks off, the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (Ubos) has announced strategic partnerships with telecom giants MTN Uganda and Airtel aimed at ensuring a seamless process for collecting and transmitting census data, especially in areas with limited internet connectivity.

Dr Chris Mukiza, the Chief Executive of Ubos, announced the development over the weekend highlighting the importance of these partnerships in providing enhanced internet coverage.

“Our goal is to eliminate disruptions in data collection and transmission,” Mukiza stated, adding that to achieve this, telecoms have already supplied significantly boosted SIM cards and Access Point Name (APN) devices for each census iPad, guaranteeing improved internet reception.

Mukiza elaborated on the technical advancements, stating, “The APN devices will enable us to access the internet even in the most remote areas. With bandwidth widened by 8 times, enumerators can relay information in real-time.” This technological boost ensures that data collection remains uninterrupted, even in challenging geographical locations.

Ubos also unveiled additional measures to tackle areas without internet access. Mukiza explained that in such areas, enumerators will capture data but transmit it later in the day when they reach locations with better connectivity. This adaptive approach ensures data accuracy without compromising on timeliness.

One notable challenge mentioned by Mukiza is in regions like Karamoja, relying on Safaricom from Kenya for internet access. To circumvent this, Ubos has empowered supervisors with Bluetooth-enabled devices to receive data directly from enumerators. These supervisors can then travel to areas with stronger Ugandan network signals for seamless data transmission.

Mukiza expressed confidence in Ubos’ readiness for the digital census, describing it as an exciting new experience. “We are well-prepared for this exercise and anticipate a seamless process,” he concluded. With these innovative strategies and partnerships in place, Uganda is poised for a successful transition to digital census operations, marking a significant milestone in data collection methodology.