jasdooit

RURA’s instruction that USSD short codes operate across all mobile networks is a positive and long-awaited development in Rwanda’s digital environment. For many years, a system designed to make accessing financial and public services easier has instead created an unnecessary mental burden on users, especially those with basic phones who are the main users of mobile money. Ensuring that short codes work smoothly across MTN Rwanda, Airtel Rwanda, and KTRN is a practical move towards fairness, efficiency, and inclusion. The significance of this action lies in its focus on regular users. USSD codes are the main way for millions to transfer money, buy airtime, pay bills, and access banking services. When similar services require different codes depending on the network, it leads to confusion, failed transactions, and sometimes exclusion. For low-income individuals, informal traders, and rural users, these issues are not just small inconveniences—they directly impact their lives. By requiring any approved short code to be activated on all networks before being launched, RURA is returning USSD to its original purpose: universal access. This directive also promotes competition based on service quality rather than technical restrictions, making it easier for consumers to switch networks without worrying about losing access to essential services. This benefits users and supports a healthy market. However, this change should be viewed as a starting point, not an end goal. While cross-network USSD access reduces confusion, it does not fully resolve the deeper issue of fragmentation in Rwanda’s digital finance sector. True convenience and resilience can only be achieved through full interoperability, where mobile money platforms and banking services not only share access codes but also allow seamless transactions across networks and providers. Interoperability would mean a user on one mobile network could send money directly to another without extra steps or fees, or access bank services without concern for the underlying operator. It would reduce duplication, lower costs for providers, and improve financial inclusion by treating the digital system as a shared infrastructure rather than separate silos. RURA’s directive clearly shows that the regulator is committed to prioritizing user experience and overall system efficiency. The next step should be to build on this progress, bringing together telecom operators, banks, and fintech companies to create a fully interoperable future.

Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc.Syndigate.info).