Circa 2007 Kampala Uganda By 2007, the mobile phone revolution in Uganda had transformed the way people communicated, with mobile phones becoming an essential part of everyday life. Key telecom companies like MTN, Celtel (later Zain, now Airtel), and Uganda Telecom (UTL) dominated the market, offering affordable and accessible services to millions. The backbone of mobile access was through airtime cards, which could be purchased from almost any street vendor. These prepaid cards, typically sold in denominations as low as 500 UGX, allowed users to top up their phones and continue using basic services like calling and texting. The cost of a local call was around 360-400 UGX per minute, and there was also a small weekly service fee of 500-1,000 UGX that kept accounts active even if the balance was low. At the heart of this mobile boom was GSM technology, which allowed telecom companies to provide reliable voice and SMS services across Uganda. As network coverage expanded, mobile phones became accessible even in rural areas. MTN, the market leader, introduced innovations like MTN Me2U, which enabled users to share airtime with family and friends. Celtel, known for expanding into rural areas, provided competitive rates to reach customers in hard-to-reach regions. While smartphones like Apple's iPhone were gaining global attention, in Uganda, brands like Nokia and Motorola were more popular, especially the durable Nokia 1100 and Nokia 3310, which were prized for their simplicity, long battery life, and affordability. The mobile phone’s integration into daily life also came with the gradual introduction of mobile data services. Although GPRS and EDGE technologies enabled slow access to the internet, the mobile internet was in its early stages and mostly used for email or basic web browsing. Mobile phones were still primarily used for voice communication and text messaging. These early years of mobile adoption laid the groundwork for Uganda's future digital economy, with telecom companies and affordable handsets playing a key role in connecting millions of people across the country. #uganda #ugandanstiktok #ughistory #kampala - @ughistory