Films watched by Ugandans according to the latest UCC quarterly reportUganda’s communications market is increasingly shifting from traditional voice calls and broadcasting towards mobile internet, digital financial services, social media and subscription television.The latest Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) market performance report for quarter two of 2026 (April to June) revealed that the telecom operators reported 1.73 trillion shillings during the period under review.The report released on Wednesday further shows that the country had 49 million active mobile subscriptions by June, alongside 19.7 million mobile-internet subscriptions and 37.8 million mobile-money subscriptions.There were also 20.5 million smartphones, 24.8 million feature phones and 13.6 million basic phones.The figures, however, represent subscriptions rather than necessarily unique individuals, meaning that one person may hold more than one mobile subscription.The expansion of mobile services is reflected in the amount of traffic generated during the quarter. UCC recorded 2.55 billion mobile-money transactions, 19.6 billion USSD sessions, and 267.4 million gigabytes of data downloaded. Voice calls, according to the report, remained substantial, with 20.4 billion domestic on-net minutes and 1.8 billion domestic off-net minutes recorded between April and June.The growth is also translating into higher earnings for the telecommunications industry. UCC reports that telecom revenue increased from 1.60 trillion shillings in March 2026 to 1.73 trillion shillings in June, compared with 1.66 trillion shillings in December 2025 and 1.62 trillion shillings in September.The figures point to an industry whose business is increasingly tied to data, digital services and mobile money rather than voice calls alone.From the report, TikTok overtakes WhatsApp, showing that a changing pattern of connectivity is also visible in the social-media market. It shows that by June, UCC recorded 11.4 million TikTok subscriptions, narrowly ahead of WhatsApp at 11 million. YouTube followed with 6.9 million, while Snapchat had 2.8 million subscriptions. Instagram had 1.5 million, X 900,000, and Netflix 100,000.The figures suggest the growing importance of video and other digital content in Uganda’s communications market. TikTok’s lead over WhatsApp is particularly notable because it points to a shift in the way audiences engage with online content, from primarily interpersonal communication towards entertainment and video consumption.However, the UCC figures are subscriptions reported by the Commission and should not be interpreted as unique individual users.From the findings, while social-media platforms are competing for audiences on mobile phones, Pay-TV continues to maintain a significant presence in Ugandan homes.UCC recorded one million active Pay-TV subscribers in June 2026. The market consists of satellite, terrestrial and cable services, with satellite operators including DStv, Zuku, Azam TV and StarTimes operating countrywide. Terrestrial Pay-TV services have a more concentrated geographical footprint.StarTimes terrestrial, for example, is mapped across Kampala, Wakiso, Mpigi, Masaka, Mbarara, Fort Portal, Jinja, Mukono, Kalangala, Luweero, Gulu and Mbale, while GOtv operates in Kampala, Jinja, Iganga, Mbale, Lira, Gulu, Arua, Kasese, Mbarara, Masaka and Wakiso.The number of channels offered also varies considerably across providers. UCC reports 165 channels for DStv, 169 for StarTimes satellite, 139 for Azam TV, 145 for Siti Cable, 100 for StarTimes terrestrial, 81 for GO TV and 67 for Zuku.The continued presence of Pay-TV alongside rapidly expanding social-media platforms suggests that Uganda’s television market is becoming more fragmented, with audiences able to choose between traditional broadcast channels, paid television and mobile-based content.The UCC figures show that the country now has 49 million active mobile subscriptions, nearly 38 million mobile-money subscriptions and almost 20 million mobile-internet subscriptions.At the same time, one million people subscribe to Pay-TV, while millions more are accessing entertainment and information through TikTok, WhatsApp and YouTube.The economic value of this transition is already visible in the 1.73 trillion shillings in quarterly telecom revenue. The report also shows that the film industry in the country is tapping a growing digital audience as it strengthens local production.UCC says it engaged 21 finalists under its Content Development Support Programme. The projects included eight feature films, six documentaries, three short films, two television dramas and two animations. Ugandan filmmakers also won two awards at Kenya’s Kalasha International Film Festival and Awards in May.The film JIMBI, directed by Talemwa Pius, won Best International Film, while Dinner for Three, directed by Brian Kabogozza, won Best Student Film.UCC says it supported the Northern Uganda Film Awards in Gulu and Uganda Film Festival initiatives focused on screenplay writing and animation, with the latter seeking to equip local animators and digital creatives to develop stories capable of reaching global audiences. Cinema attendance itself remained relatively modest but increased during the quarter.UCC recorded 7,800 tickets sold in April, 8,200 in May and 9,500 in June. Sixteen films were screened in June, with male viewers accounting for 60 percent of cinema attendance and females 40 percent.According to the regulator, the most popular movies were Michael (7.1%), Masters of the Universe (5.1%), and You Me and Tuscany (4.9%).The growth in mobile connectivity therefore presents Uganda’s film and creative industries with an expanding potential audience beyond conventional cinema halls. But the UCC figures also reveal a digital economy still in transition.While Uganda has 49 million active mobile subscriptions, only 20.5 million smartphones were recorded in June, meaning access to the richer internet-based services remains constrained by the type of device people use.The challenge for telecom operators and policymakers is therefore increasingly shifting from simply expanding mobile connections to ensuring that more Ugandans can afford the devices, data and services needed to participate fully in the digital economy.-URNThe post TikTok Beats WhatsApp in Uganda as Video Wins the Battle for Mobile Users appeared first on Business Focus.