UPDATE ATC (American Tower Corporation) Africa has denied allegations by Smile Telecom that its actions to disconnect the carrier’s Uganda 4G LTE network were illegal. ATC Uganda turned off the system of towers in the country in February 2022, after winning an award in arbitration, which was apparently not paid.
“We can confirm that ATC Uganda adheres, in all matters, to the law, and that we will not hesitate to pursue legal action in response to baseless attacks on our reputation,” ATC Africa told Inside Towers.
The dispute appears to have begun in 2018. Ever since, the two companies have been in arbitration over ATC’s pricing practices, including the amount of money it was collecting for power. ATC refused to return Smile’s equipment after the network shutdown, according to TECH Dot Africa.
“While we do not comment on ongoing litigation matters, we can confirm that as a neutral telecommunications infrastructure host, we are deeply committed to the success of all our customers, working with them on mutually agreed terms to support their expansion and regulatory obligations in Uganda,” ATC Africa said.
By J. Sharpe Smith, Inside Towers Technology Editor
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